SEPARATION AGREEMENT
Without
Prejudice
THIS
AGREEMENT
is dated
10 June 2008
PARTIES:
(1) |
China
Architectural Engineering Inc.
(“the Company”) at 63/F, Bank of Xxxxx Xxxxx, 0 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxx
Xxxx (for
itself and on behalf of each other Group Company and each of the
other
Releasees); and
|
(2) |
Xxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
(the “Employee”) of Xxxx X 00/X, Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxx Xxx Shing, Hong
Kong.
|
1.
|
The
parties have agreed that the Employee’s employment with the Company will
cease by mutual agreement with effect from close of business on
30 June 2008 (the
“Termination Date”).
|
2.
|
The
Company confirms that the Employee shall receive the following:
|
(A) |
Salary
|
Salary
(of HK$70,000 per month) and housing allowance (of HK$60,000 per month) will
continue to be payable in accordance with Clause 4.1 of the service agreement
dated 12 March 2008 filed with the SEC of the United States (“the Employment
Agreement”). The said salary and housing allowance for the month of May and June
2008, which are unpaid and accrued, will be paid and given to the Employee
in
the form of a company check signed by authorized signer or signers, no later
than 5 p.m. (Hong Kong time) on 10 June 2008.
(B) |
Paid
leave
|
The
Employee will take paid leave (inclusive of any untaken annual leave) from
the
date of signing of this Agreement up to the Termination Date. The Employee
will
fully comply with all provisions of the Employment Agreement during the period
of her leave up to the Termination Date and will remain contactable during
office hours to assist the Company where necessary.
(C) |
Shares
|
On
or
before June 20, 2008, the Company will issue the Employee 70,000 restricted,
unregistered shares of the common stock of the Company (“the
Shares”) (said number of shares referenced in clause 4.2(a) of the Employment
Agreement). However, it is understood and agreed that said shares shall and
are
not deemed issued and outstanding until actually issued by the Company further
to this section 2(C).
[The
Company shall give all necessary approvals to enable the Shares to be publicly
tradable pursuant to SEC Securities Act Rule 144.
(D) |
Separation
payment
|
Conditional
on the Employee signing and returning this Agreement to the Company no later
than 5 p.m. (Hong Kong time) on 10 June 2008, and also to her continued
compliance with all the terms of this Agreement, a separation payment (which
is
inclusive of all of the entitlements of the Employee, if any, and the balance
of
which is made in return for the release and the post-termination restrictions
set out in this Agreement) shall be paid in two instalments as set out in the
attached Schedule One. These two instalments will be evidenced by a company
check dated 30 June 2008 and a company check dated 30 September 2008. These
two
checks will be in the form of company checks signed by authorized signer or
signers and will be given to the Employee no later than 5 p.m. (Hong Kong time)
on 10 June 2008.
1
This
amount of HK$1,440,000 is calculated on the basis that the Employee will be
paid
an amount equivalent to the amount of salary (equivalent to HK$560,000) and
housing allowance (equivalent to HK$480,000) that she would have earned had
she
remained in the Company’s employment between the Termination Date and the first
anniversary of her commencement date with the Company. In addition, an amount
of
HK$400,000 which is equivalent to her cash bonus had she remained in employment
has been included.
(E) |
Business
expenses
|
Subject
to the production of receipts and the Employee providing a reason for incurring
the expense satisfactory to the Company, the Company will reimburse the Employee
for necessary business expenses incurred in connection with the performance
of
the Employee’s duties up to the Termination Date. These expenses will be
reimbursed by the Company in the form of a company check signed by authorized
signer or signers, which will be given to the Employee no later than 5 p.m.
(Hong Kong time) on 30 June 2008.
(F) |
Directors
& Officers Insurance
|
The
Company agrees to insure directors’ and officers’ liability on such terms as it
deems appropriate.
3.
|
The
Employee agrees that should she breach any provision of this Agreement,
she shall forthwith on request from the Company repay amounts already
paid
which are not due under relevant statutory and contractual requirements,
and the Company will be released from any obligation to pay her any
further amounts.
|
4.
|
Other
benefits will be dealt with as
follows:
|
(A)
|
Any
mandatory provident fund scheme entitlements will be dealt with and
satisfied by the scheme’s service
provider.
|
(B)
|
All
other benefits will cease after the Termination Date except that
medical
insurance and life insurance as currently provided to the Employee
will
continue until 2 March 2009 subject to the terms and conditions and
any
requirements imposed by the relevant insurer. For the avoidance of
doubt,
any out of pocket medical, dental and vision expenses (not covered
by the
insurance) in respect of which the Employee has already submitted
claims
for reimbursement will be reimbursed by the Company on 30 June 2008
in the
form of a company check signed by authorized signer or signers.
|
(C)
|
For
the avoidance of doubt, save as set out in this Agreement, the Employee
will cease to be entitled to any benefits under any equity, stock
or share
option scheme or any section, term, condition or provision of the
Employment Agreement, with effect from the Termination
Date.
|
2
(D)
|
The
Company will reimburse the Employee in respect of relocation expenses
incurred by the Employee and her family in moving to Hong Kong from
the
U.S.A. in the agreed sum of US$15,000. This sum will be reimbursed
by the
Company in the form of a company check signed by authorized signer
or
signers, which will be given to the Employee no later than 5 p.m.
(Hong
Kong time) on 30 June 2008.
|
(E)
|
The
Company will pay the Employee on the Termination Date tax, accounting
and
legal expenses in the agreed sum of US$5,000. This sum will be reimbursed
by the Company in the form of a company check signed by authorized
signer
or signers, which will be given to the Employee no later than 5 p.m.
(Hong
Kong time) on 30 June 2008.
|
5.
|
By
signing this Agreement the Employee agrees that the payments and
benefits
set out in clauses 2 and 4 above are inclusive of any and all entitlements
arising under her terms of employment with the Company and any
entitlements that she may have under any applicable law. The Employee
further agrees that she shall not be entitled to receive any further
sums,
benefits or shares from the Company or any other Group Company following
or in connection with the cessation of her employment or on any other
ground, except as referred to in this
Agreement.
|
6.
|
In
consideration for the sums set out above the Employee covenants and
agrees:
|
(A)
|
that the arrangements set out in this Agreement are in full and final settlement of all or any claims, costs, expenses, or rights of action of any kind whatsoever or howsoever arising (whether arising under common law, statute or otherwise and whether arising in Hong Kong or in any other country or jurisdiction in the world) which she has or may have, whether now or at any time in the future and whether or not in the contemplation of the parties at the date of this Agreement, against the Company or any other Group Company or any directors, officers, managers, representatives, agents or employees of the Company or any other Group Company (“Releasees”) and whether arising directly or indirectly out of or in connection with her contract of employment, its termination or otherwise on any other ground (“Claims”); |
(B)
|
that she hereby releases each of the Releasees from any and all Claims (except claims arising from or in respect of this Agreement); |
(C)
|
to keep the circumstances surrounding the discussions leading up to and the existence, terms and conditions of this Agreement confidential and not to disclose the same unless required by law, or in order to take professional advice, or as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or for enforcing any provisions of this Agreement or where the relevant circumstances have come into public domain (other than as a result of a breach of this Clause); |
(D)
|
not to use, disclose or communicate to any person whatsoever (unless ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction) any trade secrets or confidential information (which may include commercially sensitive information) important to and relating to the business of the Company or any other Group Company of which the Employee may have become possessed during the course of her employment with the Company or any other Group Company, in particular confidential information in relation to the Company’s clients and its business dealings with such clients. This undertaking will apply until such information comes into the public domain, other than by reason of any breach of this undertaking; |
3
(E)
|
that she will not during the period of six months immediately following the Termination Date in competition with the Company directly or indirectly solicit or entice away or endeavour to solicit or entice away from the Company or any other Group Company any person, company or entity who was a client or customer of the Company or any other Group Company during the six months prior to the Termination Date and with whom she had had business dealings during her employment; |
(F)
|
that she will not during the period of six months immediately following the Termination Date directly or indirectly solicit or entice away or endeavour to solicit or entice away from the Company or any other Group Company any person employed by the Company or any other Group Company in a managerial or executive capacity at the Termination Date and with whom she had had business dealings during the six months prior to the Termination Date with a view to inducing that person to leave such employment and to act for another employer in the same or a similar capacity in relation to the same field of work; |
(G)
|
to return to the Company immediately upon commencing her leave as referred to in clause 2(B) above all property belonging to the Company or any other Group Company which is in her possession, custody or power including (without limitation) computer records, credit cards, electrical equipment, keys, passes, mobile phone model no. Nokia XpressMusic, documents, correspondence and other papers and other items in her possession, custody or power by reason of her employment with the Company; |
(H)
|
not at any time to make, directly or indirectly, any derogatory or disparaging comment about any of the Releasees provided that disclosure of any information as required by any applicable laws or order of a court of competent jurisdiction will not constitute a breach of this Clause under any circumstances. |
(I)
|
the
Company and Xx Xxx X. Xxx undertake not at any time to make, directly
or
indirectly, any public derogatory or disparaging comment about the
Employee provided that disclosure of any information as required
by any
applicable laws or order of a court of competent jurisdiction will
not
constitute a breach of this Clause under any
circumstances.
|
7.
|
The
Employee hereby warrants and represents that she has not and will
not
commence any legal or arbitration proceedings of any nature against
the
Company or any other Group Company or Releasee in any jurisdiction
arising
out of or in connection with her employment with the Company or any
Group
Company, the cessation of any such employment or otherwise on any
other
ground save for proceedings to enforce the terms of this Agreement.
She
will also not submit any personal data access request to the Company
in
relation to data held in connection with her employment. The Company
will
destroy all personal data of the Employee as and when such data is
no
longer required by any applicable law to retain such
data.
|
8.
|
The
Employee confirms that she is not aware of any financial irregularities
within the Company and will not make any statements whether to persons
within the Company or externally which is inconsistent with this.
|
9.
|
The
parties have agreed to communicate the Employee’s departure from the
Company only using the form of announcement as set out in the attached
Schedule Two. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company will make
the
necessary public disclosures that may be required by applicable laws
regarding this Agreement and the termination of the Employee’s employment
with the Company.
|
4
10.
|
This
Agreement is:
|
(A)
|
the entire agreement between the Employee, the Company and any other Group Company as to its subject matter and may not be modified or amended except by an instrument in writing signed by the Employee and the Company; |
(B)
|
to be governed by and interpreted according to Hong Kong law and both parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Hong Kong courts and tribunals. |
11.
|
For
the purpose of this Agreement “Group” means the Company, any holding
company of the Company and any subsidiary of the Company; and any
company
of which the Company, any such holding company or subsidiary of the
Company, holds or controls more than 20% in nominal value of the
equity
share capital. The words “holding company” and “subsidiary” shall have the
meanings given to them in section 2 of the Hong Kong Companies
Ordinance.
|
12.
|
This
Agreement, although marked “Without Prejudice”, will upon signature by
both parties be treated as an open document evidencing an agreement
binding on the parties.
|
Xxx
X. Xxx
For
and on behalf of the Company,
each
other Group Company and each
of
the other Releasees
Xxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
5
Schedule
One
Payment
of HK$1,440,000 which is inclusive of all of the entitlements of the Employee.
The balance of this payment is made in return for the post-termination
restrictions set out in this Agreement. This payment will be made according
to
the payment schedule below.
These
two
instalments will be evidenced by a company check dated 30 June 2008 and a
company check dated 30 September 2008. These two checks will be in the form
of
company checks signed by authorized signer or signers and will be given to
the
Employee no later than 5 p.m. (Hong Kong time) on 10 June 2008.
Payment
schedule:
30
June 2008:
|
HK$720,000
|
On
or before 30 September 2008:
|
HK$720,000
|
6
Schedule
Two
Company
Announcement
30
June
2008
It
is
with regret that we announce that Xxx Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Chief Financial
Officer, has decided to leave CAE for personal reasons.
It
has
been agreed that Jasmine’s last day as Chief Financial Officer, and as an
employee of CAE, will be today.
We
wish
Jasmine success in her future endeavours.
Xxx
X
Xxx
7