February 21, 2024 PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL Robert Noreck Re: Transition and Resignation Agreement Dear Rob:
Exhibit 10.38
February 21, 2024
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Re: Transition and Resignation Agreement
Dear Xxx:
This letter agreement (the “Agreement”) confirms that you will be transitioning from your roles as Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Treasurer (collectively, “CFO”) with Brightcove Inc. (the “Company”) and, ultimately, resigning from your employment with the Company. This Agreement also describes certain transition duties you have agreed to perform and separation benefits you are eligible to receive. The purpose of this Agreement is to establish an amicable arrangement for ending your employment relationship, including releasing the Company and related persons or entities from any claims and permitting you to receive separation pay and related benefits.
You and the Company agree as follows:
Provided you (i) enter into, do not revoke and comply with this Agreement, (ii) do not experience a Specified Termination prior to September 30, 2024, and (iii) reaffirm the terms of this Agreement including the general release in Section 4 so that it covers the period between the date of this Agreement and the Resignation Date by signing and returning the Certificate attached as Exhibit A hereto after the Resignation Date in accordance with the time frame provided in such Certificate, and such Certificate becomes effective, the Company shall pay you a pro-rated bonus for calendar year 2024 for your time served as CFO or Consultant through May 31, 2024 (the “2024 Bonus”). The 2024 Bonus will continue to be calculated using 65% of your annualized current base salary as the target amount, based on the Company’s actual performance level for 2024 as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) or the Compensation Committee of the Board, as provided above and paid when the Company pays 2024 annual bonuses to other eligible employees in calendar year 2025 but in no event later than March 30, 2025. In the event of your death prior to the completion of any payments to you under this Agreement, any remaining unpaid amounts and employee benefits (including for avoidance of doubt any vested equity compensation and the 2024 Bonus) shall be payable to your spouse (or if no spouse survives you, to your estate) at the time and in the manner provided by this Agreement.
Your equity awards, including options to purchase the Company’s common stock and restricted stock units, shall continue to be subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Company equity plan and any applicable stock option agreement or restricted stock unit award agreement (collectively, the “Equity Documents”). Pursuant to the terms of the Equity Documents, all Company equity awards held by you shall continue to vest while you remain employed by the Company (including as Consultant) and all equity awards that are not vested as of the date that your employment actually terminates shall terminate and be forfeited as of such date.
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In consideration for, among other terms, the opportunity to receive the 2024 Bonus, which you acknowledge you would otherwise not be entitled to, you voluntarily release and forever discharge the Company and its affiliated and related entities, their respective predecessors, successors and assigns, its and their respective employee benefit plans and fiduciaries of such plans, and the current and former officers, directors, managers, members, shareholders, employees, attorneys, accountants and agents of each of the foregoing in their official and personal capacities (collectively referred to as the “Releasees”) generally from all claims, demands, debts, damages and liabilities of every name and nature, known or unknown (“Claims”) that, as of the date when you sign this Agreement, you have, ever had, now claim to have or ever claimed to have had against any or all of the Releasees. This release includes, without limitation, all Claims:
provided, however, that this release shall not affect your rights under this Agreement, the Equity Documents or under any “employee benefit plan,” as that term is defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, 29 U.S.C. §1002(3).
You acknowledge and represent that, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, the Company has paid or provided all salary, wages, bonuses, accrued vacation/paid time off, premiums, leaves, severance, reimbursable expenses, commissions, stock, stock options, vesting, and any and all other benefits and compensation due to you for service provided during the payroll periods ending prior to the date of this Agreement.
The Company represents that as of the date of this Agreement it is not aware of any grounds for a claim against you or any basis for a termination of your employment with the Company for Cause.
You are subject to continuing obligations under (i) your Employee Noncompetition, Nondisclosure and Development Agreement dated June 14, 2017 and (ii) Section 7 (Confidential
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Information, Noncompetition and Cooperation) of the Employment Agreement ((i) and (ii), the “Restrictive Covenant Obligations”). The Restrictive Covenant Obligations, and any other confidentiality and restrictive covenant obligations you have to any of the Releasees, are referred to herein as the “Ongoing Obligations” and shall remain in full force and effect.
In accordance with Section 7(c) of the Employment Agreement, you agree to return to the Company by the Resignation Date all Company property, including, without limitation, computer equipment, keys and access cards, credit cards and any documents (including electronic documents as well as hard copies) containing information concerning the Company, its business or its business relationships. You also commit to deleting and finally purging any duplicates of files or documents that may contain Company information from any computer or other device that remains your property after the Resignation Date. In the event that you discover that you continue to retain any such property, you shall return it to the Company immediately.
Subject to Section 9 below, you agree not to make any disparaging statements, oral or written, concerning the Company or any of its affiliates or concerning the products, services or current or former officers, directors, shareholders, employees or agents of the Company or any of its affiliates. You represent that during the period since this Agreement was proposed to you, you have not made any such disparaging statements. The Company agrees that it shall instruct the members of the Board and its executive officers who report directly to the CEO not to make any disparaging statements, oral or written, concerning you.
The Company will continue to indemnify you, advance legal expenses, and hold you harmless pursuant to the Company’s charter, bylaws, and your Indemnification Agreement with the Company, dated May 2, 2018. For a period of at least six (6) years following your Resignation Date, the Company shall maintain its directors and officers liability insurance in accordance with the Company’s usual and customary practices, which policy shall include customary coverage for you with respect to your service as an officer of the Company.
Nothing contained in this Agreement, any other agreement with the Company, or any Company policy limits your ability, with or without notice to the Company, to: (i) file a charge or complaint with any federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (a “Government Agency”), including without limitation, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board or the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”); (ii) communicate with any Government Agency or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including by providing non-privileged documents or information; (iii) exercise any rights under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, which are available to non-supervisory employees, including assisting co-workers with or discussing any employment issue as part of engaging in concerted activities for
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the purpose of mutual aid or protection; (iv) discuss or disclose information about unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment or discrimination or any other conduct that you have reason to believe is unlawful; or (v) testify truthfully in a legal proceeding. Any such communications and disclosures must not violate applicable law and the information disclosed must not have been obtained through a communication that was subject to the attorney-client privilege (unless disclosure of that information would otherwise be permitted consistent with such privilege or applicable law). If a Government Agency or any other third party pursues any claim on your behalf, you waive any right to monetary or other individualized relief (either individually or as part of any collective or class action), but the Company will not limit any right you may have to receive an award pursuant to the whistleblower provisions of any applicable law or regulation for providing information to the SEC or any other Government Agency.
For the avoidance of doubt, pursuant to the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, you shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (a) is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (b) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.
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[Signature Page Follows]
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Please indicate your agreement to the terms of this Agreement by signing and returning to the undersigned the original or a PDF copy of this letter within the time period set forth above.
Very truly yours,
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/s/ Xxxx XxXxxxxxx |
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February 21, 2024 |
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Xxxx XxXxxxxxx |
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Chief Executive Officer |
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You are advised to consult with an attorney before signing this Agreement. This is a legal document. Your signature will commit you to its terms. By signing below, you acknowledge that you have carefully read and fully understand all of the provisions of this Agreement and that you are knowingly and voluntarily entering into this Agreement.
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxx |
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February 21, 2024 |
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx |
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EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE UPDATING RELEASE OF CLAIMS
I, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, hereby acknowledge and certify that I entered into the Transition and Resignation Agreement with Brightcove Inc. (the “Company”) to which this Certificate is attached (the “Agreement”). Capitalized but undefined terms in this Certificate are defined in the Agreement. Pursuant to the Agreement, I am required to sign this “Certificate,” which updates the release of claims in the Agreement, in order to receive the 2024 Bonus described in the Agreement. For this Certificate to become effective and for me to receive the 2024 Bonus, I must sign this Certificate after the Resignation Date but no later than seven (7) days after the Resignation Date. I further agree as follows:
I acknowledge that the Company has advised me to consult with an attorney before signing this Certificate. This is a legal document. My signature will commit me to its terms. By signing below, I acknowledge that I have carefully read and fully understand all of the provisions of this Agreement and that I am knowingly and voluntarily entering into this Certificate.
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Xxxxxx Xxxxxx |
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