Execution Version
Exhibit 10.4
TRANSITION AND SEPARATION AGREEMENT
This Transition and Separation Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of July 22, 2025 by and among Martyn Willsher (“Executive”), Amplify Energy Corp., a Delaware corporation ( “Parent”), and Amplify Energy Services LLC (the “Employer” and, as the context requires, together with Parent, the “Company”). Executive, Parent and the Employer may sometimes hereafter be referred to singularly as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties.”
WHEREAS, Executive serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company;
WHEREAS, Executive will transition from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company to a non-executive role with the Company on July 22, 2025 (the “Transition Date”);
WHEREAS, the Company desires for Executive to be available to provide certain advisory services in the capacity of a non-executive employee during the period beginning on the Transition Date and ending on the Termination Date (as defined below), and Executive desires to provide such services; and
WHEREAS, on the Termination Date, Executive shall be deemed to terminate from any and all positions Executive holds with the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the Parties, the Parties agree as follows:
(i) | a lump sum payment equal to $315,467, payable within thirty (30) days following the Termination Date; |
(ii) | a lump sum payment in an amount equal to the difference between (x) two times Executive’s annual base salary as in effect on the day before the Transition Date, and (y) the amount of annual base salary paid to Executive during the Transition Period, with such amount to be paid in cash in a lump sum within thirty (30) days following the Termination Date; |
(iii) | subject to Executive’s (i) timely election of continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”), and (ii) continued copayment of premiums at the same level and cost to Executive as if Executive were a senior executive of the Company (excluding, for purposes of calculating cost, an employee’s ability to pay premiums with pre-tax dollars), continued participation in the Company’s group health plan (to the extent permitted under applicable law and the terms of such plan) which covers Executive (and Executive’s spouse and eligible dependents, if applicable) for a period of twelve (12) months following the Termination Date, provided that Executive is eligible and |
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remains eligible for COBRA coverage; provided, further, that the Company may modify the continuation coverage contemplated by this Section 2(b)(iii) to the extent reasonably necessary to avoid the imposition of any excise taxes on the Company for failure to comply with the nondiscrimination requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended, and/or the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, as amended (to the extent applicable); and provided, further, that in the event that Executive obtains other employment that offers group health plan coverage, such continuation of coverage by the Company under this Section 2(b)(iii) shall cease as of the end of the month in which Executive obtains such other employer-provided, group health plan coverage; |
(iv) | Any unvested restricted stock units held by Executive as of the Termination Date shall accelerate and vest in full on the Termination Date and shall be settled as soon as practicable following the Termination Date and in no event later than March 15, 2026; and |
(v) | Notwithstanding the terms set forth in the Plans and applicable award agreements, a Pro Rata Portion of the performance-based restricted stock units (the “PRSUs”) granted to Executive pursuant to the Plans and applicable award agreements shall be eligible to vest on the Termination Date based on actual performance achieved as of the Termination Date and shall be settled as soon as practicable following the Termination Date and in no event later than March 15, 2026. Any PRSUs that are not deemed vested on the Termination Date shall be forfeited for no consideration ((i) through (v), collectively, the “Severance Benefits”). As used herein, “Pro Rata Portion” means a number of PRSUs equal to (x) a quotient, the numerator of which is the number of days Executive was employed during the period beginning on the Performance Period (as defined in the applicable Award Agreement) and ending on the Termination Date, and the denominator of which is the number of days between the period beginning on the first day of the Performance Period and ending on the last day of the Performance Period, multiplied by (y) the number of any PRSUs that become vested based on the Performance Vesting Conditions (as defined in the applicable award agreement) achieved as of the Termination Date. |
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[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank;
Signature Page Follows.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Executive, Parent and Employer each have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the dates set forth beneath their names below and effective for all purposes as provided above.
EXECUTIVE
/s/ Martyn Willsher
Martyn Willsher
Date: July 22, 2025
Amplify Energy Corp.
By:/s/ Eric M. Willis
Name:Eric M. Willis
Title:SVP, General Counsel
Date: July 22, 2025
Amplify Energy SERVICES LLC
By:/s/ Eric M. Willis
Name:Eric M. Willis
Title:SVP, General Counsel
Date: July 22, 2025
Exhibit A
Release of Claims
Reference is hereby made to (i) that certain Employment Agreement, effective as of November 1, 2023, by and among Amplify Energy Corp. (the “Parent”), Amplify Energy Services LLC (the “Employer”, and, as the context requires, together with Parent, the “Company”), and Martyn Willsher (the “Employment Agreement”), and (ii) that certain Transition and Separation Agreement, dated as of July __, 2025, by and among the Parent, Employer and Martyn Willsher (the “Transition Agreement”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Transition Agreement. I, Martyn Willsher, and the Company are entering into this general release of claims (this “General Release”) made as of the Initial Effective Date (as defined below) in connection with my separation from employment with the Company as provided herein. Accordingly, I hereby agree as follows:
1. | In executing and re-executing this General Release, I acknowledge and represent that I have received all payments and benefits that I am otherwise entitled to receive (as of the Initial Effective Date and the Bringdown Effective Date (as defined below), as applicable, by virtue of my employment with the Company, including pay for all work I have performed for the Company through the Initial Effective Date and Bringdown Effective Date (to the extent not previously paid), as applicable, and pay, at my final base rate of pay, for any vacation time I earned but have not used as of the Initial Effective Date and Bringdown Effective Date, as applicable. |
2. | Provided that I (i) execute this General Release within 21 days of receipt, (ii) do not revoke this General Release within seven calendar days of executing it, and (iii) comply with this General Release and the Continuing Obligations at all times, then Employer will provide me with the Transition Period Benefits (as defined in the Transition Agreement). Provided that I (i) re-execute this General Release following the Termination Date and do not revoke this General Release within seven calendar days of re-executing it, I shall receive the Severance Benefits (as defined in the Transition Agreement) provided pursuant to Section 2 of the Transition Agreement. I agree that the Transition Period Benefits and Severance Benefits are not salary, wages or benefits to which I was already entitled. I understand and agree that I will not receive the Transition Period Benefits and Severance Benefits unless I executive and re-execute, as applicable, this General Release and do not revoke this General Release within the time period permitted hereafter or breach this General Release. |
3. | Except as provided in paragraph 5 below and except for the provisions of the Employment Agreement which expressly survive the termination of the Employment Agreement, I knowingly and voluntarily (for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, beneficiaries, representatives, successors and assigns, and all others connected with or claiming through me) release and forever discharge |
Parent, the Employer and their respective subsidiaries and affiliates and all of their respective past, present, and future shareholders, directors, officers, employee benefit plans, administrators, trustees, agents, representatives, employees, consultants, successors and assigns, and all those connected with any of them, in their official and individual capacities (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, suits, controversies, actions, causes of action, rights and claims, cross-claims, counter-claims, demands, debts, compensatory damages, liquidated damages, punitive or exemplary damages, other damages and compensation, claims for costs and attorneys’ fees, or liabilities of any kind and nature whatsoever, whether in law or in equity, both past and present (through the date I sign and re-execute, as applicable, this General Release) and whether now known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, contingent, claimed or otherwise, which I now have or ever have had against any of the Released Parties (collectively, “Claims”): (i) from the beginning of time through the date upon which I execute and re-execute, as applicable, this General Release; (ii) in any way related to, arising out of or connected with my employment and/or other relationship with, or my separation or termination from, any of the Released Parties; (iii) arising out of, or relating to, any agreement with any Released Parties, including, but not limited to, any other awards, policies, plans, programs or practices of the Released Parties that may apply to me or in which I may participate, including, but not limited to, any rights under the Employment Agreement and Transition Agreement; and (iv) arising out of, or relating to, my status as an employee, member, officer, or director of any of the Released Parties, including, but not limited to, any allegation, claim or violation, arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Civil Rights Act of 1991; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended (including by the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act) (collectively, the “ADEA”); the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; the Texas Labor Code, including the Texas Payday Act, the Texas Anti-Retaliation Act, Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code, the Texas Whistleblower Act; or their federal, state, or local counterparts; or under any other federal, state or local civil or human rights law, or under any other federal, state, or local law, regulation or ordinance; or under any public policy, contract or tort, or under common law; or arising under any policies, practices or procedures of the Company; or any claim for wrongful discharge, breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, defamation; or any claim for costs, fees, or other expenses, including attorneys’ fees incurred in these matters) . This is a general release that is intended to apply to all Claims I may have against the Released Parties through the date I execute and re-execute, as applicable, this General Release, except those Claims that cannot be waived pursuant to applicable laws. |
4. | I represent that I have made no assignment or transfer of any right, claim, demand, cause of action or other matter covered by paragraph 3 above. |
5. | I agree that this General Release does not waive or release any rights or claims that arise after the date I execute and re-execute, as applicable, this General Release. This General Release also does not waive any Claims for any vested pension benefits (if any), or for indemnification under the Employment Agreement or the Company’s D&O policy, by-laws, certificate of incorporation or other governing documents, or rights as an equity holder or under any equity-based award. |
6. | I acknowledge that I am not waiving and am not being required to waive any right (i) as set forth in paragraph 5 or (ii) that cannot be waived under applicable law, including the right to file an administrative charge or participate in an administrative investigation or proceeding conducted by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or a comparable state or local agency; provided, however, that I hereby waive the right to recover any monetary damages or other relief against any Released Parties excepting any benefit or remedy to which I am or become entitled to pursuant to Section 922 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Further, nothing contained in this General Release limits, restricts or in any way affects either party’s right to (A) communicate with any governmental agency or entity or regulatory or any law enforcement authority or make other disclosures under the whistleblower provisions of any applicable law, rule or regulation or (B) seek or receive any monetary damages, awards or other relief in connection with protected whistleblower activity. |
7. | I expressly consent that this General Release shall be given full force and effect according to each and all of its express terms and provisions, including those relating to unknown and unsuspected Claims (notwithstanding any state statute that expressly limits the effectiveness of a general release of unknown, unsuspected and unanticipated Claims), if any, as well as those relating to any other Claims hereinabove mentioned or implied. I acknowledge and agree that this waiver is an essential and material term of this General Release and that without such waiver the Company would not have agreed to provide the Severance Benefits. I further agree that in the event I should bring a Claim seeking damages against Parent, Employer and/or any other Released Party, or in the event I should seek to recover against Parent, Employer and/or any other Released Party in any Claim brought by a governmental agency on my behalf, this General Release shall serve as a complete defense to such Claims. I further agree that I am not aware of any pending charge or complaint of the type described in paragraph 3 above as of the execution and re-execution, as applicable, of this General Release. |
8. | I agree that neither this General Release, nor the furnishing of the consideration |
for this General Release, shall be deemed or construed at any time to be an admission by Parent, Employer, any Released Party or myself of any improper or unlawful conduct. Rather, this General Release expresses the intention of the parties to resolve all issues and other claims related to or arising out of my employment by the Company or the termination of my employment. |
9. | Whenever possible, each provision of this General Release shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this General Release is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or its validity and enforceability in any other jurisdiction, but this General Release shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein. |
10. | I acknowledge that I will continue to be bound by my obligations under the Employment Agreement that survive the termination of my employment by the terms thereof or by necessary implication, including without limitation my obligations set forth in Section 7 of the Employment Agreement (the “Continuing Obligations”). I further acknowledge that the obligation of Employer to provide the Transition Period Payments and Severance Benefits, and my right to retain the same, are expressly conditioned upon my continued full performance of my obligations hereunder (including continued compliance with the Continuing Obligations). |
11. | Subject to paragraph 12 of this General Release, I agree that I will never disparage or criticize Parent, Employer, their respective affiliates, their business, their management or their products or services, and that I will not otherwise do or say anything that could disrupt the good morale of employees of Parent, Employer or any of their respective affiliates or harm the interests or reputation of Parent, Employer or any of their affiliates. |
12. | Nothing in this General Release or any other agreement between me and the Company or any other policies of the Company shall prohibit or restrict me or my attorneys from: (a) making any disclosure of relevant and necessary information or documents in any action, investigation, or proceeding relating to this General Release, or as required by law or legal process, including with respect to possible violations of law; (b) participating, cooperating, or testifying in any action, investigation, or proceeding with, or providing information to, any governmental agency or legislative body, any self-regulatory organization, and/or pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (c) accepting any U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission awards; or (d) engaging in concerted activity protected under the National Labor Relations Act (to the extent applicable), including relative to the terms and |
conditions of my employment, my ability to file unfair labor practice charges or assist others in doing so, and cooperating in any investigative process with the National Labor Relations Board. In addition, nothing in this General Release or any other agreement between me and the Company or any other policies of the Company prohibits or restricts me from initiating communications with, or responding to any inquiry from, any regulatory or supervisory authority regarding any good faith concerns about possible violations of law or regulation. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b), I will not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret of the Company or its affiliates that (i) is made (x) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to my attorney and (y) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (ii) is made in a complaint or other document that is filed under seal in a lawsuit or other proceeding. If I file a lawsuit for retaliation by the Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, I may disclose the trade secret to my attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if I file any document containing the trade secret under seal, and do not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order. Nothing in this General Release or any other agreement between me and the Company or any other policies of the Company is intended to conflict with 18 U.S.C. § 1833(b) or create liability for disclosures of trade secrets that are expressly allowed by such section. |
13. | Upon my execution and re-execution, as applicable, of this General Release, I acknowledge and agree that I have returned to the Company all documents and information (and all copies thereof) belonging or relating to the business of the Company as well as any other Company property or equipment which I have or have had in my possession at any time, including, but not limited to, files, notes, drawings, passwords, records, business plans and forecasts, financial information, specifications, computer-recorded information, tangible property (including, but not limited to, computers and/or cell phones), credit cards, entry cards, identification badges and keys, and any other materials of any kind which contain or embody any proprietary or confidential information of the Company (and all reproductions thereof). |
14. | This General Release, and the provisions contained in it, shall not be construed or interpreted for, or against, any party because that party drafted or caused that party’s legal representatives to draft any of its provisions. This General Release is personal to me and may not be assigned by me. This General Release is binding on, and will inure to the benefit of, the Released Parties. The Released Parties are expressly intended to be third-party beneficiaries of the releases set forth in paragraph 3, and it may be enforced by each of them. Except as otherwise designated herein, this General Release sets forth the parties’ entire agreement with respect to the subject matter herein and shall supersede all prior and contemporaneous communications, |
agreements and understandings, written or oral, with respect thereto (for the avoidance of doubt, any Continuing Obligations remain in effect). |
15. | This General Release may not be modified or amended unless mutually agreed to in writing by the parties. This General Release may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. An originally executed version of this General Release that is scanned as an image file (e.g., Adobe PDF, TIF, etc.) or is electronically signed (including via DocuSign or any other digital signature provider) and then delivered by one party to the other party via electronic mail as evidence of signature, shall, for all purposes hereof, be deemed an original signature. In addition, an originally executed version of this General Release that is delivered via facsimile by one party to the other party as evidence of signature shall, for all purposes hereof, be deemed an original. |
16. | This General Release will be governed, construed and interpreted under the laws of the State of Texas without regard to the application of any choice-of-law rules that would result in the application of another state’s laws. The parties agree that any disputes between the parties shall be resolved only in the state or federal courts of Texas, and unconditionally submit to the jurisdiction of such courts. |
17. | This General Release creates legally binding obligations, and the Company has advised me to consult and attorney before I sign this General Release. |
18. | Employer may withhold from any and all amounts payable under this General Release such federal, state, local or foreign taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation. The intent of the parties is that the payments contemplated under this General Release be either compliant with, or exempt from, Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder (“Code Section 409A”), and accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, this General Release will be interpreted to be in compliance therewith or exempt therefrom. The parties hereby agree that my termination of employment and the Termination Date will constitute a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A. Additionally, Section 6.10 of the Employment Agreement will apply mutatis mutandis to this General Release. |
BY SIGNING AND RE-EXECUTING, AS APPLICABLE, THIS GENERAL RELEASE, I REPRESENT AND AGREE THAT:
(1) | I HAVE READ IT CAREFULLY; |
(2) | I UNDERSTAND ALL OF ITS TERMS AND KNOW THAT I AM |
GIVING UP IMPORTANT RIGHTS, INCLUDING BUT I AM ENTERING INTO THIS GENERAL RELEASE KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY, AND IN EXCHANGE FOR GOOD AND VALUABLE CONSIDERATION TO WHICH I WOULD NOT BE ENTITLED IN THE ABSENCE OF EXECUTING AND NOT REVOKING THIS GENERAL RELEASE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE TRANSITION PERIOD BENEFITS AND SEVERANCE BENEFITS, AS APPLICABLE); |
(3) | I HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY BEFORE EXECUTING IT AND RE-EXECUTING IT, AS APPLICABLE, AND I HAVE DONE SO OR, AFTER CAREFUL READING AND CONSIDERATION, I HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO DO SO OF MY OWN VOLITION; |
(4) | I MAY NOT SIGN THIS GENERAL RELEASE BEFORE THE TRANSITION DATE; |
(5) | I MAY NOT RE-EXECUTE THIS GENERAL RELEASE BEFORE THE TERMINATION DATE; |
(6) | THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE THE TRANSITION PERIOD BENEFITS ARE STRICTLY CONTINGENT ON MY EXECUTION AND NON-REVOCATION OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE. I AM BEING PROVIDED 21 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF MY RECEIPT OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE, WHICH WAS JULY 19, 2025, TO CONSIDER THE TERMS OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE, ALTHOUGH I MAY SIGN IT TIME SOONER (THOUGH NOT PRIOR TO THE TRANSITION DATE). THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY REVISIONS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THIS GENERAL RELEASE, WHETHER MATERIAL OR IMMATERIAL, WILL NOT RESTART THIS 21-DAY CONSIDERATION PERIOD. |
(7) | I HAVE SEVEN CALENDAR DAYS AFTER THE DATE ON WHICH I INITIALLY EXECUTE THIS GENERAL RELEASE TO REVOKE MY CONSENT TO THIS GENERAL RELEASE. SUCH REVOCATION MUST BE IN WRITING AND MUST BE EMAILED TO ERIC WILLIS AT ERIC.WILLIS@AMPLIFYENERGY.COM. NOTICE OF SUCH REVOCATION MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN THE SEVEN CALENDAR DAYS REFERENCED ABOVE. IF I DO NOT SIGN THIS GENERAL RELEASE OR IF I REVOKE MY EXECUTION OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE WITHIN THE SEVEN-DAY PERIOD |
REFERENCED ABOVE, THIS GENERAL RELEASE SHALL BE NULL AND VOID. PROVIDED THAT I DO NOT REVOKE THIS GENERAL RELEASE AS PROVIDED HEREIN, THIS GENERAL RELEASE WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON THE EIGHTH CALENDAR DAY AFTER THE DATE ON WHICH I SIGN THIS GENERAL RELEASE (THE “INITIAL EFFECTIVE DATE”), PROVIDED THAT IT HAS ALSO BEEN EXECUTED BY AN OFFICER OF PARENT AND EMPLOYER AND DELIVERED TO ME. |
(8) | THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATIONS TO PROVIDE THE SEVERANCE BENEFITS UNDER SECTION 2(b)(i)-(v) OF THE TRANSITION AGREEMENT ARE STRICTLY CONTINGENT ON MY RE-EXECUTION AND NON-REVOCATION OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE FOLLOWING THE TERMINATION DATE. I HAVE SEVEN CALENDAR DAYS AFTER THE DATE ON WHICH I RE-EXECUTE THIS GENERAL RELEASE TO REVOKE MY CONSENT TO THIS GENERAL RELEASE. SUCH REVOCATION MUST BE IN WRITING AND MUST BE EMAILED TO ERIC WILLIS AT ERIC.WILLIS@AMPLIFYENERGY.COM. NOTICE OF SUCH REVOCATION MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN THE SEVEN CALENDAR DAYS REFERENCED ABOVE. IF I DO NOT RE-EXECUTE THIS GENERAL RELEASE OR IF I REVOKE MY RE-EXECUTION OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE WITHIN THE SEVEN-DAY PERIOD REFERENCED ABOVE, the date of the releases and covenants set forth in this GENERAL RELEASE will not be advanced, but will remain effective up to and including the INITIAL EFFECTIVE DATE. PROVIDED THAT I DO NOT REVOKE MY RE-EXECUTION OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE AS PROVIDED HEREIN, THE GENERAL WAIVER AND RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS SET FORTH IN THIS GENERAL RELEASE SHALL BE ADVANCED TO THE DATE ON WHICH I RE-EXECUTE THIS GENERAL RELEASE. PROVIDED THAT I DO NOT REVOKE MY RE-EXECUTION OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE, THE “BRINGDOWN EFFECTIVE DATE” SHALL BE THE EIGHTH DAY FOLLOWING THE DATE ON WHICH I RE-EXECUTE THIS GENERAL RELEASE. |
(9) | I HAVE NOT RELIED ON ANY PROMISES OR REPRESENTATIVES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, THAT ARE NOT SET FORTH EXPRESSLY IN THIS GENERAL RELEASE; AND |
(10) | THE PROVISIONS OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE MAY NOT BE AMENDED, WAIVED, CHANGED OR MODIFIED EXCEPT BY AN INSTRUMENT IN WRITING SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED |
REPRESENTATIVE OF PARENT, EMPLOYER AND BY ME. |
NOT TO BE EXECUTED PRIOR TO THE TRANSITION DATE
PARENT
Date: ___________
By: _____________
Its: _____________
EMPLOYER
Date: ____________
By: _____________
Its: _____________
MARTYN WILLSHER
________________________
Date: ___________________
NOT TO BE RE-EXECUTED PRIOR TO THE TERMINATION DATE
MARTYN WILLSHER
________________________
Date: ___________________