Escrow Agreement
Exhibit
10.2
The Pride
Group (QLD) Pty Ltd ACN 086 453 269 (Company)
WPCS
Australia Pty Ltd ACN 128 426 602 (Buyer)
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx XxXxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx,
X.X. Xxxxxxx Pty Limited as trustee for the Xxxxxxx Family Trust, Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx as trustee for the ESF Trust and Xxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxx Xxxxxxx as trustee for the Xxxxxxx Family Trust (Sellers)
Xxxxxxx
Lawyers (Escrow
Agent)
1
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
BACKGROUND
|
3
|
|
OPERATIVE
PART
|
3
|
|
1
|
DEFINITIONS
& INTERPRETATION
|
3
|
1.1
|
Definitions
|
3
|
1.2
|
Interpretation
|
3
|
2
|
ESCROWED
FUNDS
|
4
|
2.1
|
Appointment
of Escrow Agent
|
4
|
2.2
|
Payment
of Escrowed Funds
|
4
|
2.3
|
Retention
of Escrowed Funds
|
4
|
2.4
|
Reduction
of Purchase Price
|
5
|
2.5
|
Release
of Escrowed Funds
|
5
|
2.6
|
Rights
and obligations Escrow Agent
|
5
|
3
|
APPOINTMENT
OF COUNSEL
|
6
|
3.1
|
Reimbursement
of fees and disbursements
|
6
|
3.2
|
Indemnity
|
6
|
4
|
GENERAL
|
7
|
4.1
|
Action
by Escrow Agent
|
7
|
4.2
|
Amendment
|
7
|
4.3
|
No
waiver
|
7
|
4.4
|
Entire
agreement
|
7
|
4.5
|
Further
assurances
|
7
|
4.6
|
Severability
|
7
|
4.7
|
Assignment
|
7
|
4.8
|
Party
acting as trustee
|
7
|
4.9
|
Notices
|
8
|
4.10
|
Governing
law
|
8
|
|
EXECUTION
|
10 |
THIS AGREEMENT is made
this day
of 2009
BETWEEN
|
THE PRIDE GROUP (QLD) PTY LTD
of 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000 (the
“Company”);
|
AND
|
WPCS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ACN 128
426 602 care of Mullins Lawyers, Xxxxx 00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx in the State of Xxxxxxxxxx, 0000, Xxxxxxxxx (the
“WPCS”);
|
AND
|
THE SHAREHOLDERS DESCRIBED IN
ATTACHED SCHEDULE (the
“Shareholders”);
|
AND
|
MULLINS LAWYERS of Xxxxx
00, Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxx 0000 (the ‘Escrow
Agent’).
|
BACKGROUND
(A)
|
The
Company, the Buyer and the Shareholders together with the directors of the
Company have entered into a Share Purchase Agreement on or about the date
of this Agreement (the "Share Purchase Agreement") regarding the
respective sale and purchase of the 97,939 fully paid ordinary A Class
shares of the Company.
|
(B)
|
As
required by Clause 3.4 of the Share Purchase Agreement, WPCS and the
Shareholders wish to provide for the escrow of certain monies pursuant to
the Share Purchase Agreement, and desire that the Escrow Agent hold such
monies pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement. The Escrow
Agent is willing to hold such cash pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement.
|
OPERATIVE
PART
1
|
DEFINITIONS
& INTERPRETATION
|
1.1
|
Definitions
|
1.1.1
|
“Buyer” means the WPCS
Australia Pty Ltd ACN 128 426 602;
|
1.1.2
|
“Commencement date”
means the date of this Agreement;
|
1.1.3
|
“Company” means The
Pride Group (Qld) Pty Ltd ACN 086 453
269;
|
1.1.4
|
“Escrow Account” means
the account maintained by the Escrow Agent in terms of this
Agreement;
|
1.1.5
|
“Escrow Agent” means
Xxxxxxx Lawyers;
|
1.1.6
|
“Escrowed Funds” means
the sum of AUD$200,000;
|
1.1.7
|
“Schedule” means the
schedule to this Agreement;
|
1.1.8
|
“Seller” means the
Shareholders described in the attached
Schedule;
|
1.1.9
|
“NTAV” means the net tangible asset
value adjustment as determined by Clauses 3.3.7 and 3.3.8 of the Share
Purchase Agreement.
|
All
capitalized terms contained herein and not otherwise defined shall have the
meaning ascribed to them in the Share Purchase Agreement.
1.2
|
Interpretation
|
In the
interpretation of this Agreement, unless the context otherwise
requires:
1.2.1
|
singular
includes plural and vice versa;
|
1.2.2
|
any
gender includes each other gender;
|
3
1.2.3
|
a
reference to a person includes a reference to an individual, corporation,
incorporated or unincorporated association, trust, partnership and
governmental or quasi-governmental department, council, agency, authority
or other body;
|
1.2.4
|
a
reference to writing includes any means of representing or reproducing
words, figures, drawings or symbols in a visible, tangible form, in
English;
|
1.2.5
|
a
reference to any legislation or to any provision of any legislation
includes any modification or re-enactment of it, any legislative provision
substituted for it and all regulations and statutory instruments issued
under it;
|
1.2.6
|
a
reference to any party includes a reference to each of its staff and
successors and permitted assigns, as well as any liquidator, provisional
liquidator, receiver, manager or administrator duly appointed under the
Corporations Act, any person authorised to act on its behalf under power
of attorney, and any other person duly authorised in writing to act on its
behalf in respect of any of the purposes of provisions of this
Agreement;
|
1.2.7
|
a
reference to any agreement or document is that agreement or document as
amended, novated, supplemented, varied or replaced from time to time,
except to the extent prohibited by this Agreement or that other agreement
or document;
|
1.2.8
|
a
reference to "dollars" or "$" is to Australian (AUSD) currency and
Australian (AUSD) dollars and cents Australian
currency;
|
1.2.9
|
a
reference to "conduct" includes any omission and any representation,
statement or undertaking, whether or not in
writing;
|
1.2.10
|
a
reference to the "knowledge", "belief" or "awareness" of any person in
relation to a matter means the knowledge, belief or awareness that the
person would have if it had made all reasonable enquiries in the
circumstances;
|
1.2.11
|
mentioning
anything after "include", "includes" or "including" does not limit what
else might be included;
|
1.2.12
|
headings
are used for ease of reference and convenience only and are not to be
construed as forming any part of this Agreement;
and
|
1.2.13
|
where
any word or phrase is given a defined meaning, other than grammatical form
of that word or phrase has a corresponding
meaning.
|
2
|
ESCROWED
FUNDS
|
2.1
|
Appointment
of Escrow Agent
|
2.1.1
|
WPCS
and the Shareholders hereby appoint the Escrow Agent to hold the Escrowed
Funds, in a trust account, and the Escrow Agent accepts such appointment,
subject to the terms and conditions
hereof.
|
2.1.2
|
The
Escrowed Account shall be denominated in
AUSD.
|
2.2
|
Payment
of Escrowed Funds
|
2.2.1
|
The
parties acknowledge that WPCS has, prior to the execution of this Escrow
Agreement, delivered by way of electronic transfer to the Escrow Agent the
Escrowed Funds and hereby irrevocably instructs the Escrow Agent to deal
with the Escrowed Funds on and subject to the terms
hereof.
|
2.3
|
Retention
of Escrowed Funds
|
2.3.1
|
The
Escrow Agent shall retain the Escrowed Funds until the NTAV of the Company
as of the Completion Date shall be
determined.
|
4
2.4
|
Reduction
of Purchase Price
|
2.4.1
|
In
the event the NTAV as of the Effective Date shall be less than
AUSD$1,200,000, the Purchase Price shall be reduced by the amount of the
shortfall and such amount shall be released to
WPCS.
|
2.4.2
|
The
balance of any amount remaining after the delivery of payments required
pursuant to Clause 2.4.1 above (the “Escrow
Payment”) shall be delivered to the Shareholders within three (3) business
days of either:
|
(a)
|
the
date that the Seller gives notice of its agreement with the Buyer’s
calculation of the NTAV under Clause 3.3.2 of the of the Share Purchase
Agreement; or
|
(b)
|
the
date that the NTAV is determined by an Independent Accounting Firm under
Clause 3.3.3 of the Share Purchase
Agreement.
|
2.5
|
Release
of Escrowed Funds
|
2.5.1
|
The
Escrow Agent shall only deliver the Escrowed Funds
upon:
|
(a)
|
written
notification signed by each of the Shareholders and WPCS of final
determination of the NTAV, or
|
(b)
|
delivery
to the Escrow Agent of a written determination of the NTAV by an
Independent Accounting Firm under Clause 3.3.3 of the Share Purchase
Agreement.
|
2.5.2
|
Notwithstanding
Clause 2.5.1, the Escrow Agent shall, from
time to time, deliver all or some of the Escrowed Funds to WPCS or the
shareholders in accordance with such written instructions, jointly
executed by WPCS and the shareholders, as the Escrow Agent may
receive.
|
2.6
|
Rights
and obligations Escrow Agent
|
2.6.1
|
The
Escrow Agent shall at all times comply with the requirements of the Trust
Accounts Xxx 0000 (Qld), the Trust Accounts Regulation 1999 (Qld) and
Legal Professional Act 2007 with respect to the receipt, management and
disbursement of the Escrowed Funds under this Agreement, and the parties
to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that those requirements prevail
over the provisions of this Agreement to the extent of any inconsistency
between them.
|
2.6.2
|
Subject
to Clause 2.6.1, the Escrow Agent shall not
be under any duty to give the Escrowed Funds any greater degree of care
than it gives its own similar property, and it shall have no liability
hereunder, except for the wilful breach of its duties
hereunder.
|
2.6.3
|
Subject
to Clause 2.6.1, the Escrow Agent shall have
no duties or responsibilities except those expressly set forth herein and
no implied duties or obligations should be read into this Escrow Agreement
against the Escrow Agent. The Escrow Agent need not refer to,
and will not be bound by, the provisions of any other agreement, except
for definitions of terms contained in the Share Purchase
Agreement.
|
2.6.4
|
The
Escrow Agent may consult with counsel and shall be fully protected with
respect to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith on advice of
counsel.
|
2.6.5
|
The
Escrow Agent makes no representation as to the validity, value,
genuineness or the collectibility of any security or other document or
instrument held by or delivered to
it.
|
2.6.6
|
The
Escrow Agent will receive no compensation for its services
hereunder.
|
5
2.6.7
|
In
the event that the Escrow Agent shall be uncertain as to its duties or
rights hereunder, or shall receive instructions from WPCS and the
Shareholders or both of them, with respect to the Escrowed Funds, which,
in its opinion, are in conflict with any of the provisions
hereof:
|
(a)
|
it
shall be entitled to refrain from taking any action, and in doing so shall
not become liable in any way or to any person for its failure or refusal
to comply with such conflicting demands, and it shall be entitled to
continue so to refrain from acting and so refuse to act until it shall be
directed otherwise, in writing, jointly by WPCS and the shareholders or
until it shall receive a final determination of a court of law,
arbitration panel, or similar adjudicative body,
or
|
(b)
|
it
may commence an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to seek an
adjudication of the rights of WPCS and the
shareholders.
|
2.6.8
|
The
Escrow Agent may act in reliance upon any notice, instruction,
certificate, statement, request, consent, confirmation, agreement or other
instrument which it believes to be genuine and to have been signed by a
proper person or persons, and may assume that any of the officers of WPCS
or the shareholders purporting to act on behalf of WPCS or the
shareholders in giving any such notice or other instrument in connection
with the provisions hereof has been duly authorized to do
so.
|
3
|
APPOINTMENT
OF COUNSEL
|
3.1
|
Reimbursement
of fees and disbursements
|
3.1.1
|
In
the event that the Escrow Agent retains counsel or otherwise incurs any
legal fees by virtue of any provision of this Escrow Agreement, the
reasonable fees and disbursements of such counsel and any other liability,
loss or expense which the Escrow Agent may thereafter suffer or incur in
connection with this Escrow Agreement or the performance or attempted
performance in good faith of its duties hereunder shall be paid (or
reimbursed to it) by WPCS and the Shareholders, jointly and
severally.
|
3.1.2
|
In
the event that the Escrow Agent shall become a party to any litigation in
connection with its functions as Escrow Agent pursuant to this Escrow
Agreement, whether such litigation shall be brought by or against it, the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Escrow Agent including
the amounts attributable to services rendered by members or associates of
Escrow Agent at the then prevailing hourly rate charged by them and
disbursements incurred by them, together with any other liability, loss or
expense which it may suffer or incur in connection therewith, shall be
paid (or reimbursed to it) by WPCS and the Shareholders, jointly and
severally, unless such loss, liability or expense is due to the wilful
breach by the Escrow Agent of its duties
hereunder.
|
3.2
|
Indemnity
|
3.2.1
|
WPCS
and the Shareholders severally hereby unconditionally agree to indemnify
the Escrow Agent and hold it harmless from and against any and all taxes
(including federal, state and local taxes of any kind and other
governmental charges), expenses, damages, actions, suits or other charges
incurred by or brought or assessed against it
for:
|
(a)
|
anything
done or omitted by it in the performance of its duties hereunder,
or
|
(b)
|
on
account of acting in its capacity as an Escrow Agent or stakeholder
hereunder, except as a result of its wilful breach of its duties under
this Escrow Agreement.
|
3.2.2
|
All
reasonable expenses incurred by the Escrow Agent in connection with the
performance of its duties hereunder shall be paid (or reimbursed to it) by
WPCS and the Shareholders,
severally.
|
6
3.2.3
|
The
agreements contained in this 3.2 shall
survive any termination of the duties of the Escrow Agent
hereunder.
|
4
|
GENERAL
|
4.1
|
Action
by Escrow Agent
|
4.1.1
|
WPCS
and the Shareholders hereby acknowledge that the acts of the Escrow Agent
are purely ministerial and do not represent a conflict of interest for the
Escrow Agent to act, or continue to act, as counsel for any party to this
Agreement with respect to any litigation or other matters arising out of
this agreement or otherwise.
|
4.2
|
Amendment
|
4.2.1
|
This
Agreement may be amended only by another agreement executed by all parties
who may be affected by the
amendment.
|
4.3
|
No
waiver
|
4.3.1
|
No
failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right, power or remedy
under this Agreement will operate as a waiver. Nor will any
single or partial exercise of any right, power or remedy preclude any
other or further exercise of that or any other right, power or
remedy.
|
4.4
|
Entire
agreement
|
4.4.1
|
Subject
to Clause 4.2, this Agreement constitutes the
sole and entire agreement between the parties. No warranties,
representations, guarantees or other terms or conditions of any kind not
contained and recorded in this Agreement are of any force or
effect.
|
4.5
|
Further
assurances
|
4.5.1
|
Each
party must take all steps, execute all documents and do everything
reasonably required by the other party to give effect to any of the
transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
|
4.6
|
Severability
|
4.6.1
|
If
any provision of this Agreement is invalid and not enforceable in
accordance with its terms, all other provisions which are self-sustaining
and capable of separate enforcement without regard to the invalid
provisions are and continue to be valid and enforceable in accordance with
their terms.
|
4.7
|
Assignment
|
4.7.1
|
The
rights and obligations of each party under this Agreement are
personal. They cannot be assigned, charged or otherwise dealt
with, and no party shall attempt or purport to do so without the prior
written consent of all the parties.
|
4.8
|
Party
acting as trustee
|
4.8.1
|
If
a party enters into this Agreement as trustee of a trust, the party and
its successors as trustee of the trust are liable under this Agreement in
their own right and as trustee of the trust. Nothing releases
the party from any liability in its personal capacity. The
party warrants that:
|
(a)
|
all
the powers and discretions conferred by the deed establishing the trust
are capable of being validly exercised by the party as trustee and have
not been varied or revoked;
|
(b)
|
the
trust is a valid and subsisting
trust;
|
7
(c)
|
the
party is the sole trustee of the trust and has full and unfettered power
under the terms of the deed establishing the trust to enter into and be
bound by this Agreement on behalf of the
trust;
|
(d)
|
this
Agreement is executed and entered into as part of the due and proper
administration of the trust and for the benefit of the beneficiaries of
the trust; and
|
(e)
|
no
restriction on the party's right of indemnity out of, or lien over, the
trust's assets exists, or will be created or permitted to exist, and that
right has priority over the right of the beneficiaries to the trust's
assets.
|
4.9
|
Notices
|
4.9.1
|
Each
notice given under this Agreement:
|
(a)
|
must
be typed or in legible writing;
|
(b)
|
must
be in the English language;
|
(c)
|
must
be signed by the party giving the notice;
and
|
(d)
|
be
addressed to the party at that party's address given at the beginning of
this Agreement, or to a facsimile machine located at that address (as
applicable);
|
4.9.2
|
Each
notice given under this Agreement may only be served personally, by
prepaid post or by facsimile transmission. In that
regard:
|
(a)
|
Subject
to Clause 4.9.3, if a notice given under this
Agreement is served personally, it is deemed to be served the day it is
served.
|
(b)
|
Subject
to Clause 4.9.3, if a notice given under this
Agreement is served by prepaid post, it is deemed to be served two
business days after posting.
|
(c)
|
If
a notice given under this Agreement is served by facsimile transmission
within Business Hours, it is deemed to be served when the facsimile
machine through which it was sent produces a report indicating a
successful transmission of the
notice.
|
(d)
|
If
a notice given under this Agreement is served by facsimile transmission
outside Business Hours, it is deemed to be served at the commencement of
the next Business Hour after the time when the facsimile machine through
which it was sent produces a report indicating a successful transmission
of the notice.
|
4.9.3
|
If
delivery or receipt is outside Business Hours, the notice is taken to have
been given during Business Hours on the next Business
Day.
|
4.10
|
Governing
law
|
4.10.1
|
This
Agreement is governed by and construed in accordance with laws applicable
in the State of Queensland,
Australia.
|
4.10.2
|
Each
party submits to the respective jurisdictions (including, where
applicable, the non-exclusive jurisdictions) of the courts of Queensland,
Australia, as well as all other Australian courts or tribunals having
jurisdiction over laws applicable in the State of Queensland,
Australia.
|
4.10.3
|
Any
proceedings in respect of any cause of action arising under this Agreement
must be instituted, heard and determined in a court of competent
jurisdiction in Queensland,
Australia.
|
~~~~~~~~
8
SCHEDULE
1
(SHAREHOLDERS)
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
of
00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000
|
32,180
A Class Shares
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx XxXxxxxx
of
00 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000
|
2,000
A Class Shares
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
of
00-00 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx Xxx 0000
|
2,000
A Class Shares
|
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
of
00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx Xxx 0000
|
6,500
A Class Shares
|
X.X.
Xxxxxxx Pty Limited as trustee for the Xxxxxxx Family Trust
of
00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000
|
6,933
A Class Shares
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx as trustee for the ESF
Trust
of
00 Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000
|
32,893
A Class Shares
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx as trustee for the Xxxxxxx Family
Trust
of
00 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxx 0000
|
15,433
A Class Shares
|
Total
|
97,939
A Class Shares
|
9
EXECUTION
Executed
as an Agreement.
Executed
by WPCS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
ACN 128 426 602 in
accordance with section
127
of the Corporations Xxx
0000:
|
)
)
)
|
|
Director/Company
Secretary
|
Director
|
|
Name
of Director/Company Secretary
(BLOCK
LETTERS)
|
Name
of Director
(BLOCK
LETTERS)
|
Executed
by XXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|
10
Executed
by XXXXX XXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|
Executed
by XXXXX
XXXXXXX
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|
Executed
by XXXX XXXXXXX
XXXXX
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|
11
Executed
by X.X. XXXXXXX PTY
LIMITED
ACN 002 365 844 as trustee for
the Xxxxxxx Family Trust in accordance with section
127
of the Corporations Xxx
0000:
|
)
)
)
|
|
Director/Company
Secretary
|
Director
|
|
Name
of Director/Company Secretary
(BLOCK
LETTERS)
|
Name
of Director
(BLOCK
LETTERS)
|
Executed
by XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXX
as trustee for the ESF Trust
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|
Executed
by XXXXXXXXX XXXXX
XXXXXX as trustee for the ESF Trust by her duly appointed Attorney,
XXXXX XXXXXXX
XXXXXX
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|
12
Executed
by XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXX
as trustee for the Xxxxxxx Family Trust
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|
Executed
by XXXXX XXXXXXX
as trustee for the Xxxxxxx Family Trust by her duly appointed Attorney
XXXXXXX XXXX
XXXXXXX
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|
Executed
by THE PRIDE GROUP (QLD)
PTY LTD ACN 086 453 269 in accordance with section 127 of the Corporations Xxx
0000:
|
)
)
)
|
|
Director/Company
Secretary
|
Director
|
|
Name
of Director/Company Secretary
(BLOCK
LETTERS)
|
Name
of Director
(BLOCK
LETTERS)
|
13
Executed
by XXXXXXX LAWYERS
for and on behalf of the Firm by an authorised
officer
|
||
at (suburb)
|
||
on (date)
|
||
Signature
|
||
in
the presence of:
|
||
Witness
|
||
Name
|