2004 Genworth Financial, Inc.
Omnibus Incentive Plan
Effective [Date]
Contents
Article 1. |
Establishment, Purpose, Awards, Eligibility and Participation |
1 |
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Article 2. |
Definitions |
1 |
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Article 3. |
Administration |
4 |
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Article 4. |
Shares Subject to the Plan and Maximum Awards |
5 |
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Article 5. |
Stock Options |
7 |
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Article 6. |
Stock Appreciation Rights |
8 |
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Article 7. |
Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units |
9 |
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Article 8. |
Other Stock-Based Awards |
10 |
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Article 9. |
Dividend Equivalents |
10 |
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Article 10. |
Nonemployee Director Awards |
11 |
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Article 11. |
Cash-Based Awards |
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Article 12. |
Performance-Based Compensation |
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Article 13. |
Change of Control |
13 |
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Article 14. |
Duration, Rescission, Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination |
16 |
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Article 15. |
General Provisions |
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2004 Genworth Financial, Inc.
Omnibus Incentive Plan
Article 1. Establishment, Purpose, Awards, Eligibility and Participation
1.1 Establishment. Genworth Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with its successors, the "Company"), establishes the 2004 Genworth Financial, Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), as set forth in this document.
The Plan shall become effective on the date of, and immediately prior to, the effectiveness of the Company's registration statement on Form S-8 relating to the registration of the Shares issuable pursuant to the Plan (the date on which the Plan becomes effective being referred to herein as the "Effective Date").
1.2 Purpose of the Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to promote the interests of the Company and its shareholders by strengthening the ability of the Company and its affiliates to attract, motivate, reward, and retain qualified individuals upon whose judgment, initiative, and efforts the financial success and growth of the business of the Company largely depend, and to provide an opportunity for such individuals to acquire stock ownership and other rights that promote and recognize the financial success and growth of the Company.
1.3 Awards. The Plan permits the grant of Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock (including Performance Shares), Restricted Stock Units (including Performance Units), Other-Stock Based Awards, Nonemployee Director Awards (including Deferred Stock Units), Dividend Equivalents, and Cash-Based Awards. The Plan sets forth the performance goals and procedural requirements to permit the Company to design Awards that qualify as Performance-Based Compensation. The Plan provides for a Covered Employee Annual Incentive Award based on Consolidated Operating Earnings and Net Earnings, which is also intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation.
1.4 Eligibility and Participation. Any Employee, Nonemployee Director, or Third Party Service Provider is eligible to be designated a Participant. An individual shall become a Participant upon the grant of an Award. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. No individual shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under the Plan, or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award.
Article 2. Definitions
In addition to the terms specifically defined elsewhere in the Plan, the following capitalized terms whenever used in the Plan shall have the meanings set forth below.
2.1 Awards.
2.2 Other Defined Terms.
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Article 3. Administration
3.1 General. The Committee shall be responsible for administering the Plan in accordance with this Article 3.
3.2 Authority of the Committee. The Committee shall have full and exclusive discretionary power to (a) interpret the terms and the intent of the Plan and any Award Agreement or other agreement or document ancillary to or in connection with the Plan; (b) determine eligibility for Awards; and (c) adopt such rules, forms instruments, and guidelines for administering the Plan as the Committee deems necessary or proper; provided, however, that the Board of Directors is hereby authorized (in addition to any necessary action by the Committee) to grant or approve Awards as necessary to satisfy the requirements of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Committee's authority shall include, but not be limited to, selecting Award recipients, establishing all Award terms and conditions, including the terms and conditions set forth in Award Agreements, and, subject to Section 14.4, adopting modifications and amendments to any Award Agreement. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be final and binding upon the Participants, the Company, and all other interested individuals.
3.3 Advisors. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, agents, and other individuals, any of whom may be an Employee, and the Committee, the Company, and its officers and directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions, or valuations of any such individuals.
3.4 Delegation. The Committee may delegate to one or more of its members, one or more officers of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and one or more agents or advisors such administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable. The Committee may, by resolution, authorize one or more officers of the Company to do one or both of the following on the same basis as can the Committee: (a) designate Employees and Third Party Service Providers to be recipients of Awards, and (b) determine the terms of conditions of any such Awards; provided, however, that (i) the Committee shall not delegate such responsibilities to any such officer for Awards granted to an Employee that is considered an "insider" for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act; (ii) the resolution providing for such authorization shall set forth the total number of Awards such officer(s) may grant; and (iii) the officer(s) shall report periodically to the Committee regarding the nature and scope of the Awards granted pursuant to the authority delegated.
Article 4. Shares Subject to the Plan and Maximum Awards
4.1 Number of Shares Available for Awards.
4.2 Share Usage.
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4.3 Annual Award Limits. Unless and until the Committee determines that an Award to a Covered Employee is not intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the following limits (each an "Annual Award Limit" and collectively, "Annual Award Limits") shall apply to grants of Awards under the Plan:
4.4 Adjustments in Authorized Shares. In the event of any corporate event or transaction (including, but not limited to, a change in the shares of the Company or the capitalization of the Company) such as a merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, separation, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split up, spin-off, or other distribution of stock or property of the Company, combination of Shares, exchange of Shares, dividend in kind, or other like change in capital structure or distribution (other than normal cash dividends) to shareholders of the Company, or any similar corporate event or transaction, the Committee, in its sole discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of Participants' rights under the Plan as well as dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available, shall substitute or adjust, as applicable, the number and kind of Shares that may be issued under the Plan or under particular forms of Awards, the number and kind of Shares subject to outstanding Awards, the exercise price or base price applicable to outstanding Awards, the Annual Award Limits, and other value determinations applicable to outstanding Awards.
The Committee, in its sole discretion, may also make appropriate adjustments in the terms of any Awards under the Plan to reflect, or related to, such changes or distributions and to modify any other terms of outstanding Awards, including modifications of performance goals and changes in the length of performance periods. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under the Plan.
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Without affecting the number of Shares reserved or available hereunder, the Committee may authorize the issuance or assumption of benefits under the Plan in connection with any merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, or reorganization upon such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate.
Article 5. Stock Options
5.1 Grant of Stock Options. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Stock Options to Participants. Each Stock Option shall permit a Participant to purchase from the Company a stated number of Shares from the Company at an exercise price established by the Committee, subject to the terms and conditions described in this Article 5 and to such additional terms and conditions, in established by the Committee, in its sole discretion, that are consistent with the provisions of the Plan. All Stock Options shall be nonqualified stock options. The Plan does not provide for the grant of "incentive stock options" within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
5.2 Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share under a Stock Option shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant; provided, however, that such exercise price shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Stock Option (or, if the Committee so determines, in the case of any Stock Option retroactively granted in tandem with or in substitution for another Award or any other outstanding award, on the date of grant of such other Award or award).
5.3 Stock Option Term. The term of each Stock Option shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant; provided, however, that no Stock Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date of its grant unless otherwise determined by the Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for Stock Options granted to Participants outside the United States, the Committee has the authority to grant Stock Options that have a term greater than ten (10) years to the extent required by the applicable local laws of the jurisdictions in which such Stock Options are granted.
5.4 Time of Exercise. Stock Options shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant.
5.5 Method of Exercise. Stock Options shall be exercised by the delivery of a notice of exercise to the Company or an agent designated by the Company in a form specified or accepted by the Committee, or by complying with any alternative procedures which may be authorized by the Committee, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares.
A condition of the issuance of the Shares as to which a Stock Option shall be exercised shall be the payment of the exercise price. The exercise price of any Stock Option shall be payable to the Company in full either: (a) in cash or its equivalent; (b) by tendering (either by actual delivery or attestation) previously acquired Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the exercise price (provided that the Shares that are tendered must have been held by the Participant for at least six (6) months prior to their tender to satisfy the exercise price or have been purchased on the open market); (c) by a combination of (a) and (b); or (d) any other method approved or accepted by the Committee in its sole discretion, including, without limitation, if the Committee so determines, a cashless (broker-assisted) exercise.
Subject to any governing rules or regulations, as soon as practicable after receipt of written notification of exercise and full payment (including satisfaction of any applicable tax withholding), the Company shall deliver to the Participant evidence of book entry Shares, or upon the Participant's request, Share certificates in an appropriate amount based upon the number of Shares purchased under the Stock Option(s).
Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, all payments under all of the methods indicated above shall be paid in U.S. dollars.
Article 6. Stock Appreciation Rights
6.1 Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Participants, including a concurrent grant of Stock Appreciation Rights in tandem with any Stock Option. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, a Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall confer on the holder thereof a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (a) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise over (b) the grant price of the right as specified by the Committee, which shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of grant of the Stock Appreciation Right (or, if the Committee so determines, in the case of any Stock Appreciation Right retroactively granted in tandem with or in substitution for another Award or any other outstanding award, on the date of grant of such other Award or award).
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Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the grant price, term, methods of exercise, methods of settlement, and any other terms and conditions of any Stock Appreciation Right shall be as determined by the Committee. The Committee may impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of any Stock Appreciation Right as it may deem appropriate.
6.2 Stock Appreciation Right Term. The term of each Stock Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant; provided, however, that no Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date of its grant unless otherwise determined by the Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for Stock Appreciation Rights granted to Participants outside the United States, the Committee has the authority to grant Stock Appreciation Rights that have a term greater than ten (10) years to the extent required by the applicable local laws of the jurisdictions in which such Stock Appreciation Rights are granted.
6.3 Time of Exercise. Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant.
6.4 Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights. Upon the exercise of all or a portion of a Stock Appreciation Right granted in tandem with a Stock Option, a Participant shall be required to forfeit the right to purchase an equivalent portion of the related Stock Option (and, when a Share is purchased under the related Stock Option, the Participant shall be required to forfeit an equivalent portion of the Stock Appreciation Right).
Article 7. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units
7.1 Grant of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.
7.2 Voting Rights. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in a Participant's Award Agreement, to the extent permitted or required by law, as determined by the Committee, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder shall have the right to exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares during the period of restriction. A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder.
7.3 Section 83(b) Election. The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that the Award of Restricted Stock is conditioned upon the Participant making or refraining from making an election with respect to the Award under Section 83(b) of the Code. If a Participant makes an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code concerning a Restricted Stock Award, the Participant shall be required to file promptly a copy of such election with the Company.
Article 8. Other Stock-Based Awards
The Committee is hereby authorized to grant other types of equity-based or equity-related Awards not otherwise described by the terms of the Plan (including the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted Shares) to Participants in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine. Such Awards shall be referred to as "Stock-Based Awards." Each such Other Stock-Based Award may involve the transfer of actual Shares to Participants or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Shares, and may include, without limitation, Awards designed to comply with or take advantage of the applicable local laws of jurisdictions other than the United States.
Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be expressed in terms of Shares or units or an equivalent measurement based on Shares, as determined by the Committee. If the value of an Other Stock-Based Award will be based on the appreciation of Shares from an initial value determined as of the date of grant, then such initial value shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Other Stock-Based Award (or, if the Committee so
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determines, in the case of any Other Stock-Based Award retroactively granted in tandem with or in substitution for another Award or any other outstanding award, on the date of grant of such other Award or award).
Article 9. Dividend Equivalents
The Committee is hereby authorized to grant to Participants Dividend Equivalents based on the dividends declared on Shares that are subject to any Award. Dividend Equivalents shall be credited as of dividend payment dates during the period between the date the Award is granted and the date the Award is exercised, vested, expired, credited or paid. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash, Shares or additional Awards by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee.
Dividend Equivalents granted with respect to any Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be payable regardless of whether such Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right is subsequently exercised.
Article 10. Nonemployee Director Awards
10.2 Deferred Stock Units. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, sixty percent (60%) of the Nonemployee Director annual fee will be satisfied by a grant of "Deferred Stock Units." Each Deferred Stock Unit shall represent one Share and will be credited to a notional account maintained by the Company. Nonemployee Directors shall not be entitled to vote Shares represented by such Deferred Stock Units but shall receive Dividend Equivalents with respect to such Awards, which shall be reinvested in additional Deferred Stock Units. Deferred Stock Units shall be settled in cash and paid in accordance with an election made by the Nonemployee Director, which payment date shall be no earlier than the first anniversary of the date the Nonemployee Director ceases to be a director of the Company.
Article 11. Cash-Based Awards
The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Awards to Participants denominated in cash in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may determine. Such Awards shall be referred to as "Cash-Based Awards." Each such Cash-Based Award shall specify a payment amount or payment range as determined by the Committee.
Article 12. Performance-Based Compensation
12.1 Covered Employee Annual Incentive Award.
12.2 Other Performance-Based Compensation. The Committee is authorized to design any Award of Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards so that the Award meets the requirements of this Section 12.2 as Performance-Based Compensation. If the
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Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards to Covered Employees that shall not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of this Section 12.2.
Any performance measure may be (1) used to measure the performance of the Company and/or any of its Affiliates as a whole, any business unit thereof or any combination thereof or (2) compared to the performance of a group of comparable companies, or a published or special index, in each case that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
12.3 Shareholder Approval. The Plan may not be used to make Awards to Covered Employees unless (a) the Plan is approved by shareholders at the first annual shareholder's meeting held more than twelve (12) months after the Effective Date; (b) the Award is a Stock Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock or a Restricted Stock Unit made prior to such shareholder's meeting; or (c) the Award is made subject to shareholder approval.
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Article 13. Change of Control
13.2 Change of Control Definitions.
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the Board of Directors, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of (A) at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board, (B) (x) the holders of the Class B Common Stock (as defined in the Master Agreement), voting as a class, or (y) at least a majority of the directors elected by the holders of the Class B Common Stock, in each case in accordance with Article VII of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, (C) prior to the Trigger Date (as defined in the Master Agreement), a vote of at least a majority of any nominating committee of the Board of Directors, which nominating committee was designated by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board, or (D) in the case of a director appointed to fill a vacancy in the Board of Directors (other than any vacancy of a director elected by the holders of the Class B Common Stock), at least a majority of the directors entitled (under Section 6 of Article VII of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company) to elect such director (so long as at least a majority of such directors voting in favor of the director filling the vacancy are themselves members of (or considered to be pursuant to this definition members of) the Incumbent Board) shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest relating to the election or removal of the directors of the Company or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies of consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board of Directors;
Article 14. Duration, Rescission, Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination
14.1 Duration of Plan. Unless sooner terminated as provided in Section 14.2 or 14.3, the Plan shall terminate ten (10) years from the Effective Date.
14.2 Automatic Rescission and Termination of Awards and Plan. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, if delivery of the Firm Public Offering Shares (as defined in the Master Agreement) to the Underwriters (as defined in the Master Agreement) against payment therefor is not complete within four (4) Business Days (as defined in the Master Agreement) after the Closing Date (as defined in the Master Agreement), all Awards theretofore granted under the Plan shall immediately be rescinded in all respects and the Plan and all of the Award Agreements shall terminate, without the consent of any relevant Participant or holder or beneficiary of an Award.
14.3 Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination of Plan. The Board of Directors may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, modify, suspend, or terminate the Plan in whole or in part; provided, however, that, without the prior approval of the Company's shareholders, no action shall be taken that would (a) increase the total number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan or the Annual Award Limits, except as provided in Section 4.4; (b) permit the exercise price or grant price of any Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right or Other Stock-Based Award the value of which is based on the appreciation of Shares from the date of grant (i) to be less than Fair Market Value
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(except as may be permitted by Section 5.2, 6.1, or Article 8), or (ii) to be repriced, replaced, or regranted through cancellation (except as may be permitted by Section 15.4) or by lowering the exercise price or grant price; (c) change the performance measurements listed in Section 12.2(a); or (d) base any Covered Employee Annual Incentive Award on performance measurements other than Consolidated Operating Earnings or Net Earnings; and provided, further, that no such action shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award. After the Plan is terminated in accordance with this Section 14.3, no Award may be granted but any Award previously granted shall remain outstanding in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Award.
14.4 Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination of Awards. The Committee shall have the authority at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, modify, suspend or terminate the terms and conditions of any Award; provided, however, that no such action shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award.
14.5 Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. Subject to the limitations in Section 12.1(c) related to Covered Employee Annual Incentive Awards and Section 12.2(d) related to other Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4.4) affecting the Company or the financial statements of the Company or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent unintended dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under the Plan.
Article 15. General Provisions
15.1 Settlement of Awards; No Fractional Shares. Each Award Agreement shall establish the form in which the Award shall be settled. Awards (other than Stock Options and Restricted Stock) may be settled in cash, Shares, other securities, additional Awards or any combination, regardless of whether such Awards are originally denominated in cash or Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, Awards, other securities or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
15.2 Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, the minimum statutory amount to satisfy federal, state, and local taxes, domestic or foreign, required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of the Plan.
15.3 Share Withholding. With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, upon the achievement of performance goals related to Performance Shares and Performance Units, or any other taxable event arising as a result of an Award granted hereunder, Participants may elect, subject to the approval of the Committee, to satisfy the withholding requirement, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to the minimum statutory total tax that could be imposed on the transaction.
15.4 Substitution of Share-Based Awards. The Committee may, without the consent of any Participant, substitute any Award granted under the Plan which by its terms is intended to be settled in Shares for any other type of Award intended to be settled in Shares, including without limitation, the substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights intended to be settled in Shares for Stock Options; provided, however, that the terms of the substituted Award and the economic benefit of the substituted Award are at least equivalent to the terms and economic benefit of the Award being replaced.
15.5 Transferability of Awards. Except as otherwise provided in a Participant's Award Agreement or otherwise at any time by the Committee, no Award granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and any attempt to enforce such a purported sale, transfer, pledge, alienation or hypothecation shall be void. Should the Committee permit transferability of an Award, it may do so on a general or a specific basis, and may impose conditions and limitations on any permitted transferability. Unless transferability is permitted, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised by a Participant only during his or her lifetime. If the Committee permits any Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right to be transferred, references in the Plan to the exercise of a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right by the Participant or payment of any amount to the Participant shall be deemed to include the Participant's transferee.
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15.6 Termination of Service; Forfeiture Events.
15.7 Deferrals. The Committee may permit or require a Participant to defer such Participant's receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due to such Participant by virtue of any Award.
15.8 Conditions and Restrictions on Shares. The Committee shall impose such other conditions or restrictions on any Shares received in connection with an Award as it may deem advisable or desirable. These restrictions may include, but shall not be limited to, a requirement that the Participant hold the Shares received for a specified period of time or a requirement that a Participant represent and warrant in writing that the Participants is acquiring the Shares for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares. The certificates for Shares may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any conditions and restrictions applicable to such Shares.
15.9 Share Certificates. If an Award provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the transfer of Shares, the transfer of such Shares may be effected on an uncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange on which the Shares are listed. Shares issued in connection with Awards of Restricted Stock may, to the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee, be retained in the Company's possession until such time as all conditions or restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapse.
15.10 Compliance with Law. The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or stock exchanges on which the Company is listed as may be required. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares issued under the Plan prior to:
The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.
15.11 Rights as a Shareholder. Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a shareholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record holder of such Shares.
15.12 Awards to Non-U.S. Employees. To comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company or any of its Affiliates operates or has Employees, directors, or Third Party Service Providers, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to:
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15.13 No Right to Continued Service. Nothing in the Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any of its Affiliates to terminate any Participant's employment or service at any time or for any reason not prohibited by law, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue his or her employment or service for any specified period of time. Neither any Award nor any benefits arising under the Plan shall constitute an employment or consulting contract with the Company or any of its Affiliates and, accordingly, subject to Article 14, the Plan and the benefits hereunder may be terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Board of Directors or Committee, as applicable, without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
15.14 Beneficiary Designation. Each Participant under the Plan may, from time to time, name any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any benefit under the Plan is to be paid in case of his or her death before he or she receives any or all of such benefit. Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Committee, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company during the Participant's lifetime. In the absence of any such designation, amounts due under the Plan remaining unpaid at the Participant's death shall be paid to the Participant's estate.
15.15 Other Compensation Plans or Arrangements. The Committee shall have the authority to grant Awards as an alternative to or as the form of payment for grants or rights earned or due under other compensation plans or arrangements of the Company.
15.16 Gender and Number. Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.
15.17 Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws, or if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person, or Award, and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
15.18 Unfunded Plan. Participants shall have no right, title, or interest whatsoever in or to any investments that the Company or any of its Affiliates may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under the Plan. Nothing contained in the Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Participant, beneficiary, legal representative, or any other person. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any of its Affiliates under the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company or an Affiliate, as the case may be. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company or an Affiliate, as the case may be, and no special or separate fund shall be established and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in the Plan. The Plan is not subject to the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
15.19 Nonexclusivity of the Plan. The adoption of the Plan shall not be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board of Directors or Committee to adopt such other compensation arrangements as it may deem desirable for any Participant.
15.20 No Constraint on Corporate Action. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to (a) limit, impair, or otherwise affect the Company's or its Affiliate's right or power to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or dissolve, liquidate, sell, or transfer all or any part of its business or assets, or (b) limit the right or power of the Company or its Affiliate to take any action which such entity deems to be necessary or appropriate.
15.21 Successors. All obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company.
15.22 Governing Law. The Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction.
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