OFFICER INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
OFFICER INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of _____, 20__, between Univar Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and _____ (“Indemnitee”).
WHEREAS, in recognition of the need for corporations to be able to induce capable and responsible individuals to accept positions as officers, Delaware law authorizes (and in some instances requires) corporations to indemnify their officers, and further authorizes corporations to purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of their officers.
WHEREAS, Delaware law also authorizes a corporation to pay in advance of the final disposition of an action, suit or proceeding the expenses incurred by an officer in the defense thereof, and any such right to the advancement of expenses may be made separate and distinct from any right to indemnification and need not be subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct or otherwise affected by the merits of any claims against the officer;
WHEREAS, qualified persons are reluctant to serve corporations as officers or otherwise unless they are provided with appropriate indemnification and insurance against claims arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporations;
WHEREAS, it is critically important to the Company and its stockholders that the Company be able to attract and retain the most qualified persons reasonably available to serve as officers of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Company has determined that attracting and retaining such persons is in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to provide reasonable assurance regarding insurance;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. Defined Terms; Construction.
a. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Change in Control” means, and shall be deemed to have occurred if, on or after the date of this Agreement, (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than (A) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries acting in such capacity, or (B) a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities, (ii) during any period of two consecutive years commencing from and after the date hereof; individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof, (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation other than a merger or consolidation that would result in the Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least 50% of the total voting power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, (iv) the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of (in one transaction or a series of related
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transactions) all or substantially all of its assets, or (v) the Company shall file or have filed against it, and such filing shall not be dismissed, any bankruptcy, insolvency or dissolution proceedings, or a trustee, administrator or creditors committee shall be appointed to manage or supervise the affairs of the Company.
“Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (or a member of any committee of a board of directors), officer, employee or agent (including without limitation a manager of a limited liability company) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or of any predecessor thereof, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director (or a member of any committee of a board of directors), officer, employee or agent (including without limitation a manager of a limited liability company) of another entity, or of any predecessor thereof, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan.
“Determination” means a determination that either (x) indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances (a “Favorable Determination”) because Indemnitee met a particular standard of conduct under Delaware law that is a legally required condition precedent to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against Indemnifiable Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from such Indemnifiable Proceeding (a “Standard of Conduct”) or (y) indemnification of Indemnitee is improper in the circumstances (an “Adverse Determination”) because Indemnitee failed to meet a Standard of Conduct. An Adverse Determination shall include the decision that a Determination was required in connection with indemnification and the decision as to the applicable Standard of Conduct.
“DGCL” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time.
“Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, retainers, court, arbitration and mediation costs, transcript costs, fees and expenses of experts, witnesses and public relations consultants, bonds, costs of collecting and producing documents, 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, appealing or otherwise participating in (including on appeal) a Proceeding.
“Indemnifiable Proceeding” means any Proceeding based upon, arising out of or resulting from (i) any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of any other Person, whether or not for profit (including any employee benefit plan or related trust), as to which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent, (ii) any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in respect of any business, transaction, communication, filing, disclosure or other activity of the Company or any other Person referred to in clause (i) of this sentence, or (iii) Indemnitee’s Corporate Status or any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in connection with any obligation or restriction imposed upon Indemnitee by reason of such Corporate Status.
“Indemnifiable Losses” means any and all Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Indemnifiable Proceeding.
“Independent Legal Counsel” means an attorney or firm of attorneys competent to render an opinion under the applicable law, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 6(e), who has not performed any services (other than services similar to those contemplated to be performed by Independent Legal Counsel under this Agreement) for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or for Indemnitee, in each case, within the last three years.
“Losses” means any and all Expenses, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal or other) and amounts paid in settlement, including all interest, taxes, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of any of the foregoing.
“Proceeding” means a threatened, asserted, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, including without limitation a claim, demand, discovery request, formal or
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informal investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing, arbitration or other form of alternative dispute resolution, including an appeal from any of the foregoing.
“Subsidiary” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity, a majority of whose outstanding voting securities is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company.
“Voting Securities” means any securities of the Company that vote generally in the election of directors.
b. Construction. For purposes of this Agreement,
i. References to the Company and any of its Subsidiaries shall include any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise that before or after the date of this Agreement is party to a merger or consolidation with the Company or any such Subsidiary or that is a successor to the Company as contemplated by Section 9(e) (whether or not such successor has executed and delivered the written agreement contemplated by Section 9(e)).
ii. References to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan.
iii. References to a “witness” in connection with a Proceeding shall include any interviewee or person called upon to produce documents in connection with such Proceeding.
2. Agreement to Serve.
Indemnitee agrees to serve, or continue to serve, as the case may be, as an officer of the Company or one or more of its Subsidiaries and in such other capacities as Indemnitee may serve at the request of the Company from time to time, in each case, faithfully and to the best of his or her ability, and by its execution of this Agreement the Company confirms its request that Indemnitee serve as an officer and in such other capacities. Indemnitee shall be entitled to resign or otherwise terminate such service with immediate effect at any time, and neither such resignation or termination nor the length of such service shall affect Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement except to the extent specifically set forth in this Agreement. This Agreement shall not constitute an employment agreement, supersede any employment agreement to which Indemnitee is a party or create any right of Indemnitee to continued employment or appointment.
3. Indemnification.
a. General Indemnification. Subject to Section 3(e) below, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in effect on the date hereof or as amended to increase the scope of permitted indemnification, against all Indemnifiable Losses.
b. Additional Indemnification Regarding Expenses. Without limiting the foregoing, in the event any Proceeding is initiated by Indemnitee, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any other person to enforce or interpret this Agreement or any rights of Indemnitee to indemnification or advancement of Expenses (or related obligations of Indemnitee) under the Company’s or any such Subsidiary’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational agreement or instrument, any other agreement to which Indemnitee and the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are party, any vote of stockholders or directors of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the DGCL, any other applicable law or any liability insurance policy, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against Expenses actually incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding in proportion to the success achieved by Indemnitee in such Proceeding, as determined by the court presiding over such Proceeding.
c. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of any Indemnifiable Losses, but not for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for such portion.
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d. Nonexclusivity. The indemnification and advancement rights provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may now or in the future be entitled under the certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational agreement or instrument of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or directors, the DGCL, any other applicable law or any liability insurance policy, provided that to the extent that Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified by the Company under this Agreement and by any stockholder of the Company or any affiliate of any such stockholder (other than the Company) under any other agreement or instrument, or by any insurer under a policy maintained by any such stockholder or affiliate, (i) the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be primary, and the obligations of such stockholder, affiliate or insurer secondary, and (ii) Indemnitee shall proceed first against the Company and any insurer under any policy maintained by the Company, second, if indemnification is not provided by the Company or any such insurer on a timely basis, against any insurer under a policy maintained by any such stockholder or affiliate, and third, if indemnification is not provided by the Company or any such insurer on a timely basis, against any such stockholder or affiliate. Any such stockholder or affiliate shall be entitled to enforce the Company’s obligation to provide indemnification in accordance with the priorities set forth in this Section 3(d) directly against the Company, and each such stockholder or affiliate shall constitute an express intended third party beneficiary under this Agreement for such purpose. In the event that any such stockholder or affiliate makes indemnification payments or advances to Indemnitee in respect of any Expenses or other Indemnifiable Losses for which the Company would also be obligated pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall reimburse such stockholder or affiliate in full on demand.
e. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated under the Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee:
i. For Losses incurred in connection with Proceedings initiated or brought voluntarily by the Indemnitee and not by way of compulsory counterclaim, except (x) as contemplated by Section 3(b), (y) in specific cases if the Board has approved the initiation or bringing of such Proceeding, and (z) as may be required by law.
ii. For an accounting of profits arising from the purchase and sale by the Indemnitee of securities within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor statute.
iii. For remuneration paid to Indemnitee if it is determined by final judgment or other final adjudication that such remuneration was in violation of law (and, in this respect, both the Company and Indemnitee have been advised that the Securities and Exchange Commission believes that indemnification for liabilities arising under the federal securities laws is against public policy and is, therefore, unenforceable and that claims for indemnification should be submitted to appropriate courts for adjudication, as indicated in Section 3(e)(vi) below).
iv. For a final judgment or other final adjudication that Indemnitee’s conduct was in bad faith, knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest or constituted willful misconduct (but only to the extent of such specific determination).
v. For conduct constituting a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or resulting in any personal profit or advantage to which Indemnitee is not legally entitled.
vi. In violation of any undertaking appearing in and required by the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or in any registration statement filed with the SEC under the Act (Indemnitee acknowledges that paragraph (h) of Item 512 of Regulation S-K currently generally requires the Company to undertake in connection with any registration statement filed under the Act to submit the issue of the enforceability of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement in connection with any liability under the Act on public policy grounds to a court of appropriate jurisdiction and to be governed by any final adjudication of such issue. Indemnitee specifically agrees that any such undertaking shall supersede the provisions of this Agreement and to be bound by any such undertaking).
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vii. On account of any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation under any bona fide clawback policy of the Company or as otherwise required under federal securities laws, including but not limited to the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
viii. For any amounts which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, expect with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or indemnity policy.
f. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnitee, who shall execute such documents and do such acts as the Company may reasonably request to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights, provided that the Company shall not be entitled to contribution or indemnification from or subrogation against any stockholder of the Company, any affiliate of any such stockholder or any insurer under a policy maintained by any such stockholder or affiliate.
g. Assumption of Defense. In the event the Company shall be requested by Indemnitee to pay the Expenses of any Proceeding, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding, or to participate to the extent permissible in such Proceeding, with counsel reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee. Upon assumption of the defense by the Company and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding, provided that Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel in such Proceeding at Indemnitee’s sole cost and expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Indemnitee’s counsel delivers a written notice to the Company stating that such counsel has reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense or the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel or otherwise actively pursued the defense of such Proceeding within a reasonable time, then in any such event the fees and Expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel to defend such Proceeding shall be subject to the indemnification and advancement of Expenses provisions of this Agreement.
4. Contribution
a. The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless from any claims of contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
b. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for all expense, liability and loss (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, Employee Retirement Income Security Act excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement), in connection with any Proceeding, 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 event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
5. Advancement of Expenses.
To the extent not prohibited by Law, the Company shall pay all Expenses actually incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding in any way connected with, resulting from or relating to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, other than a Proceeding initiated by Indemnitee for which the Company would not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee pursuant to Section 3(e)(i), in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding and without regard to whether Indemnitee will ultimately be entitled to be indemnified for such Expenses and without regard to whether an Adverse Determination has been made, except as contemplated by the last sentence of Section 6(f). Indemnitee shall repay such amounts advanced only if and to the extent that it shall ultimately be determined by a court of
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competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable decision that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company for such Expenses. Such repayment obligation shall be unsecured and shall not bear interest. The Company shall not impose on Indemnitee additional conditions to advancement or require from Indemnitee additional undertakings regarding repayment. The Company agrees that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed to be reasonable (only be overcome if the Company establishes clear and convincing evidence to the contrary).
6. Indemnification Procedure.
a. Notice of Proceeding; Cooperation. Indemnitee shall give the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any Proceeding for which indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement, including a brief description (based upon information then available to Indemnitee) of the potential Indemnifiable Losses relating to such Proceeding, provided that any failure or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Company of its obligations under this Agreement unless and to the extent that (i) none of the Company and its Subsidiaries are party to or aware of such Proceeding and (ii) the Company is materially prejudiced by such failure.
b. Settlement. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which may be provided or withheld in Indemnitee’s sole discretion, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee or which could have been brought against Indemnitee unless such settlement solely involves the payment of money by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if such settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
c. Request for Payment; Timing of Payment. To obtain indemnification payments or advances under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor, together with such invoices or other supporting information as may be reasonably requested by the Company and reasonably available to Indemnitee. The Company shall make indemnification payments to Indemnitee no later than 30 days, and advances to Indemnitee no later than 10 days, after receipt of the written request (and such invoices or other supporting information) of Indemnitee.
d. Determination. The Company intends that Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law as provided in Section 3 and that no Determination shall be required in connection with such indemnification. In no event shall a Determination be required in connection with advancement of Expenses pursuant to Section 4 or in connection with indemnification for Expenses incurred as a witness or incurred in connection with any Proceeding or portion thereof with respect to which Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise (including, without limitation, settlement of Proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration or the termination of any issue or matter in such Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice). Any decision that a Determination is required by law in connection with any other indemnification of Indemnitee, and any such Determination, shall be made within 30 days after receipt of Indemnitee’s written request for indemnification, as follows:
i. If no Change in Control has occurred, (w) by a majority vote of the directors of the Company who are not parties to such Proceeding, even though less than a quorum, with the advice of Independent Legal Counsel, or (x) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, with the advice of Independent Legal Counsel, or (y) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by Independent Legal Counsel in a written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee, or (z) by the stockholders of the Company.
ii. If a Change in Control has occurred, by Independent Legal Counsel in a written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee.
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The Company shall pay all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with a Determination. Such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 30 days, if the Person or Persons making such determination in good faith requires such additional time for obtaining or evaluating any documentation or information relating thereto.
e. Independent Legal Counsel. If there has not been a Change in Control, Independent Legal Counsel shall be selected by the Board and approved by Indemnitee (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). If there has been a Change in Control, Independent Legal Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). The Company shall pay the fees and expenses of Independent Legal Counsel and indemnify Independent Legal Counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to its engagement.
f. Consequences of Determination; Remedies of Indemnitee. The Company shall be bound by and shall have no right to challenge a Favorable Determination. If an Adverse Determination is made, or if for any other reason the Company does not make timely indemnification payments or advances of Expenses, Indemnitee shall have the right to commence a Proceeding before a court of competent jurisdiction to challenge such Adverse Determination and/or to require the Company to make such payments or advances. Indemnitee shall be entitled to be indemnified for all Expenses incurred in connection with such a Proceeding in accordance with Section 3(b) and to have such Expenses advanced by the Company in accordance with Section 5. If Indemnitee fails to timely challenge an Adverse Determination, or if Indemnitee challenges an Adverse Determination and such Adverse Determination has been upheld by a court of competent jurisdiction, in a final and non-appealable decision then, to the extent and only to the extent required by such Adverse Determination or final decision, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee under this Agreement.
g. Presumptions; Burden and Standard of Proof. In connection with any Determination, or any review of any Determination, by any person, including a court:
i. It shall be a presumption that a Determination is not required.
ii. It shall be a presumption that Indemnitee has met the applicable Standard of Conduct and that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances.
iii. The burden of proof shall be on the Company to overcome the presumptions set forth in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii), and each such presumption shall only be overcome if the Company establishes clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.
iv. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, finding, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that indemnification is not proper or that Indemnitee did not meet the applicable Standard of Conduct or that a court has determined that indemnification is not permitted by this Agreement or otherwise.
v. Neither the failure of any person or persons to have made a Determination nor an Adverse Determination by any person or persons shall be a defense to Indemnitee’s claim or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet the applicable Standard of Conduct, and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 6(f) shall be de novo with respect to all determinations of fact and law.
7. Directors and Officers Liability Insurance. Maintenance of Insurance. So long as the Company or any of its Subsidiaries maintains liability insurance for any directors, officers, employees or agents of any such person, the Company shall ensure that Indemnitee is covered by such insurance in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ then current directors and officers. If at any date (i) such insurance ceases to cover acts and omissions occurring during all or any part of the period of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status or (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries maintains any such insurance, the Company shall ensure that Indemnitee is covered, with respect to acts
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and omissions prior to such date, for at least six years (or such shorter period as is available on commercially reasonable terms) from such date, by other directors and officers liability insurance, in amounts and on terms (including the portion of the period of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status covered) no less favorable to Indemnitee than the amounts and terms of the liability insurance maintained by the Company on the date hereof.
8. Miscellaneous.
a. Non-Circumvention. The Company shall not seek or agree to any order of any court or other governmental authority that would prohibit or otherwise interfere, and shall not take or fail to take any other action if such action or failure would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or otherwise interfering, with the performance of the Company’s indemnification, advancement or other obligations under this Agreement.
b. Severability. 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.
c. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, or by e-mail or facsimile, upon confirmation of receipt, (ii) on the first business day following the date of dispatch if delivered by a recognized next-day courier service or (iii) on the third business day following the date of mailing if delivered by domestic registered or certified mail, properly addressed, or on the fifth business day following the date of mailing if sent by airmail from a country outside of North America, to Indemnitee at the address shown on the signature page of this Agreement, to the Company at the address shown on the signature page of this Agreement, or in either case as subsequently modified by written notice.
d. Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing signed by all the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of (i) five years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of any other Person, whether or not for profit (including any employee benefit plan or related trust), as to which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent or (ii) one year after the final termination of any Proceeding, including any appeal then pending, in respect to which Indemnitee was granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder.
e. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its respective successors and assigns, including without limitation any acquiror of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or business and any survivor of any merger or consolidation to which the Company is party, and shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s estate, spouses, heirs, executors, personal or legal representatives, administrators and assigns. The Company shall require and cause any such successor, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement as if it were named as the Company herein, and the Company shall not permit any such purchase of assets or business, acquisition of securities or merger or consolidation to occur until such written agreement has been executed and delivered. No such assumption and agreement shall relieve the Company of any of its obligations hereunder, and this Agreement shall not otherwise be assignable by the Company.
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f. Choice of Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Delaware, without regard to the conflict of law principles thereof. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware for all purposes in connection with any Proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any Proceeding instituted under this Agreement will be brought only in the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware.
g. Integration and Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all previous written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and agreements relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto, provided that the provisions hereof shall not supersede the provisions of the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational agreement or instrument, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or directors, the DGCL or other applicable law, to the extent any such provisions shall be more favorable to Indemnitee than the provisions hereof.
h. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
| UNIVAR SOLUTIONS INC. | ||||||||
| By: ______________________________________ | ||||||||
| Name: | ||||||||
| Title: | ||||||||
| Address: __________________________________ | ||||||||
| __________________________________ | ||||||||
| __________________________________ | ||||||||
| AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED: | ||||||||
| INDEMNITEE: | ||||||||
| By: ______________________________________ | ||||||||
| Name: | ||||||||
| Title: | ||||||||
| Address: __________________________________ | ||||||||
| __________________________________ | ||||||||
| __________________________________ | ||||||||
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