Exhibit 99.1
TEXXON HOLDING LIMITED
(incorporated as an exempted company in the Cayman Islands with limited liability)
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT an annual general meeting of shareholders (the “Meeting”) of Texxon Holding Limited (the “Company”) will be held on May 22, 2026 at 9:00 a.m., Beijing time (May 21, 2026 at 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time) via a virtual meeting. You can participate in the Meeting, vote, and submit questions via live webcast by visiting http://www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/NPT2026. You are cordially invited to attend the Meeting for the purpose of considering and voting upon the following proposals:
1. Director Election Proposal — to approve, by ordinary resolutions, the re-election of each of Hui Xu, Bo Ren, Lei Qin, Kang Zhou and Wei Li as a director of the Company to serve on the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) until the next annual general meeting of shareholders or until their office is otherwise vacated or they are removed by ordinary resolution.
2. Equity Incentive Plan Proposal — to approve, by ordinary resolution, the adoption of the Texxon Holding Limited 2026 Equity Incentive Plan and the material terms thereunder.
3. Auditor Appointment Ratification Proposal — to ratify, by ordinary resolution, the appointment of ZH CPA, LLC as the independent auditor of the Company for the fiscal year ending 30 June 2026.
4. Share Split Proposal — to approve, by ordinary resolution, subject to Articles Amendment No. 1 Proposal below being passed at the Meeting, a sub-division of the ordinary shares of the Company, at a ratio of not less than 1-to-1 and not more than 1-to-5, with the final ratio to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at any time after approval by the shareholders (the “Share Split”), and to authorize the Board to implement the Share Split at its sole discretion at any time prior to the one-year anniversary of the Meeting, subject at all times to the Board being authorized, at its sole discretion and without further approval or notice to the shareholders, to determine not to implement the Share Split.
5. Articles Amendment No. 1 Proposal — by special resolution, subject to Share Split Proposal above being passed at the Meeting, to amend and restate the memorandum and articles of association of the Company then in effect to reflect the Share Split, if implemented by the Board.
6. Share Consolidation Proposal — to approve, by ordinary resolution, subject to Articles Amendment No. 2 Proposal below being passed at the Meeting, a consolidation of the ordinary shares of the Company, at a ratio of not less than 1-to-1 and not more than 20-to-1, with the final ratio to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at any time after approval by the shareholders (the “Share Consolidation”), and to authorize the Board to implement the Share Consolidation at its sole discretion at any time prior to the one-year anniversary of the Meeting, subject at all times to the Board being authorized, at its sole discretion and without further approval or notice to the shareholders, to determine not to implement the Share Consolidation.
7. Articles Amendment No. 2 Proposal — by special resolution, subject to the Share Consolidation Proposal above being passed at the Meeting, to amend and restate the memorandum and articles of association of the Company then in effect to reflect the Share Consolidation, if implemented by the Board.
8. Adjournment Proposal — to approve, by ordinary resolution, the adjournment of the Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes at the time of the Meeting to approve any of the foregoing proposals.
The foregoing items of business are more fully described in the accompanying proxy statement.
The Board has fixed the close of business on April 23, 2026 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for determining the shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment thereof. Only shareholders of the Company on the Record Date are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.
Shareholders may obtain a copy of the proxy materials from the Company’s website at www.npt-cn.com or by submitting a request to ir@totrade.cn. The notice of the Meeting, the accompanying proxy statement and the proxy card will be made available to shareholders on or about April 28, 2026. The proxy materials contain instructions on how to access the accompanying proxy statement online at: www.proxyvote.com and how to submit your proxy to vote via the internet, telephone and/or mail.
Whether or not you plan to participate in this Meeting, your vote is very important and we encourage you to vote promptly. After reading the accompanying proxy statement, please promptly mark, sign and date the enclosed proxy card and return it by following the instructions on the proxy card or voting instruction card or vote by telephone or by Internet. If you attend the Meeting, you will have the right to revoke the proxy and vote your shares. If you hold your shares through an account with a brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee, please follow the instructions you receive from your brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee to vote your shares.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
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/s/ Hui Xu |
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Hui Xu |
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Chief Executive Officer and Director |
April 28, 2026
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
May 22, 2026, Beijing Time
(May 21, 2026, Eastern Time)
PROXY STATEMENT
The board of directors (the “Board”) of Texxon Holding Limited (the “Company”) is soliciting proxies for the annual general meeting of shareholders (the “Meeting”) of the Company to be held on May 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., Beijing Time (May 21, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time), or any adjournment thereof. The Meeting will be held via a virtual meeting. Shareholders can participate in the Meeting, vote, and submit questions via live webcast by visiting http://www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/NPT2026.
The notice of the Meeting, the proxy statement and the proxy card will be made available to shareholders on or about April 28, 2026These proxy materials contain instructions on how to access this proxy statement online at: https://www.proxyvote.com, and how to submit your proxy to vote via the internet, telephone and/or mail.
IMPORTANT: Please mark, date, and sign the enclosed proxy card and promptly return it in the accompanying postage-paid envelope or vote by telephone or by Internet to assure that your shares are represented at the Meeting.
RECORD DATE; VOTING POWER
Only shareholders of the Company of record at the close of business on April 23, 2026 (the “Record Date”) are entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting or at any adjournment thereof. Quorum for purposes of the Meeting is the presence, in person or by proxy, of one or more persons holding shares of the Company that represent at least one-third of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company carrying the right to attend and vote at the Meeting. As of the Record Date, there were 22,185,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding, each entitled to one vote per share.
PROPOSALS TO BE VOTED ON
At the Meeting, the following proposals will be considered and voted on:
Proposal No. 1 — The Director Election Proposal: to approve, by ordinary resolutions, the re-election of each of Hui Xu, Bo Ren, Lei Qin, Kang Zhou and Wei Li as a director of the Company to serve on the Board until the next annual general meeting of shareholders or until their office is otherwise vacated or they are removed by ordinary resolution.
Proposal No. 2 — The Equity Incentive Plan Proposal: to approve, by ordinary resolution, the adoption of the Texxon Holding Limited 2026 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2026 Plan”).
Proposal No. 3 — The Auditor Engagement Ratification Proposal: to ratify, by ordinary resolution, the appointment of ZH CPA, LLC as the independent auditor of the Company for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.
Proposal No. 4 — The Share Spilt Proposal: to approve, by ordinary resolution, subject to Proposal 5 below being passed at the Meeting, a sub-division of the ordinary shares of the Company, at a ratio of not less than 1-to-1 and not more than 1-to-5, with the final ratio to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at any time after approval by the shareholders (the “Share Split”), and to authorize the Board to implement the Share Split at its sole discretion at any time prior to the one-year anniversary of the Meeting, subject at all times to the Board being authorized, at its sole discretion and without further approval or notice to the shareholders, to determine not to implement the Share Split.
Proposal No. 5 — The Articles Amendment No. 1 Proposal: by special resolution, subject to Proposal 4 above being passed at the Meeting, to amend and restate the memorandum and articles of association of the Company then in effect to reflect the Share Split, if implemented by the Board.
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Proposal No. 6 — The Share Consolidation Proposal: to approve, by ordinary resolution, subject to Proposal 7 below being passed at the Meeting, a consolidation of the ordinary shares of the Company, at a ratio of not less than 1-to-1 and not more than 20-to-1, with the final ratio to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at any time after approval by the shareholders (the “Share Consolidation”), and to authorize the Board to implement the Share Consolidation at its sole discretion at any time prior to the one-year anniversary of the Meeting, subject at all times to the Board being authorized, at its sole discretion and without further approval or notice to the shareholders, to determine not to implement the Share Consolidation.
Proposal No. 7 — The Articles Amendment No. 2 Proposal: by special resolution, subject to Proposal 6 above being passed at the Meeting, to amend and restate the memorandum and articles of association of the Company then in effect to reflect the Share Consolidation, if implemented by the Board.
Proposal No. 8 — The Adjournment Proposal: to approve, by ordinary resolution, the adjournment of the Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes at the time of the Meeting to approve any of the foregoing proposals.
The Board recommends a vote “FOR” each of the director nominees and each of the Proposals No. 2-8.
VOTING PROCEDURE FOR SHAREHOLDERS
Shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting may do so either in person or by proxy. A proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company. Those shareholders who are unable to attend the Meeting via the webcast are requested to read, complete, sign, date, and return the attached proxy card in accordance with the instructions set out therein. Whichever method you select to transmit your instructions, the proxy holders will vote your shares in accordance with those instructions. If no specific instructions are given, the shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of our Board and as the proxy holders may determine in their discretion with respect to any other matters that properly come before the Meeting.
A proxy card is enclosed with this proxy statement. It contains important instructions about completing and giving it to the Company. You must ensure that your completed and signed proxy card, and any power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed, is deposited in accordance with the instructions set out therein. Proxy cards received after the time set out therein may be disregarded.
Most shareholders do not own shares registered directly in their name, but rather are “beneficial holders” of shares held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee (that is, shares held “in street name”). If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered the “beneficial owner” of shares held in “street name,” and your broker or nominee is considered the “shareholder of record” with respect to those shares. Your broker or nominee should be forwarding these proxy materials to you. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker, bank, or other nominee how to vote, and you are also invited to participate in the Meeting. However, since you are not the shareholder of record, you may not vote these shares in person, unless you obtain a legal proxy from your brokerage firm or bank. If a broker, bank, or other nominee holds your shares, you will receive instructions from them that you must follow in order to have your shares voted.
If, however, your shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Transhare Corporation, you are considered, with respect to those shares, the shareholder of record, and these proxy materials are being sent directly to you. You may vote in the following ways:
• By Mail: Votes may be cast by mail, as long as the proxy card or voting instruction card is delivered in accordance with its instructions prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 20, 2026. Shareholder may submit proxies by completing, signing, and dating their proxy card and mailing it in the accompanying pre-addressed envelope.
• By Attending the Meeting Virtually: Shareholders can attend the Meeting via the Internet by visiting http://www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/NPT2026. Shareholders will need the voter control number included on your proxy card in order to be able to vote your shares or submit questions during the Meeting. If you do not have a voter control number, you will be able to listen to the meeting only and you will not be able to vote or submit questions during the Meeting.
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• By Phone or Internet: Shareholders may vote by phone or Internet by following the instructions included in the proxy card they received. Your vote must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time May 20, 2026 to be counted. Have your proxy card available when you access the website or when you call. We provide Internet and telephone proxy voting to allow you to vote your shares on-line or by phone, with procedures designed to ensure the authenticity and correctness of your proxy vote instructions. However, please be aware that you must bear any costs or usage charges from Internet access providers and telephone companies.
ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS
Pursuant to the Listing Rules of Nasdaq Stock Market, which permit companies to make available their annual reports to shareholders on or through the Company’s website, the Company posts its annual reports on the Company’s website. The annual report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 on Form 20-F (the “2025 Annual Report”) has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company adopted this practice to avoid the considerable expense associated with mailing physical copies of such report to record holders. You may obtain a copy of the Company’s 2025 Annual Report to shareholders by visiting the Company’s website at https://www.npt-cn.com. If you want to receive a paper or email copy of the Company’s 2025 Annual Report to shareholders, you must request one. There is no charge to you for requesting a copy. Please make your request for a copy to the investor relations of the Company, available at ir@totrade.cn.
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THE DIRECTOR ELECTION PROPOSAL
The Board currently consists of five members. All five current directors named below (the “Director Nominees”) will seek re-election at the Meeting.
Each director to be re-elected will hold office until the next annual general meeting of shareholders or until such director’s office is otherwise vacated or such director is removed by ordinary resolution in accordance with the articles of association of the Company.
The re-election of each of the five current directors will be proposed as separate ordinary resolutions of the Company.
Director Nominees
The Director Nominees recommended by the Board are as follows:
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Name |
Age |
Position(s) |
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Hui Xu |
55 |
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer |
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Bo Ren |
37 |
Chief Financial Officer and Director |
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Lei Qin |
39 |
Independent Director |
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Kang Zhou |
48 |
Independent Director |
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Wei Li |
40 |
Independent Director |
Information Regarding the Company’s Director Nominees
Hui Xu has served as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of directors since March 2024. Mr. Xu has also served as the Chairman of the board of directors of Zhejiang Net Plastic Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC limited liability company and our majority owned subsidiary (“Net Plastic Technology”) since 2020. In June 2020, he founded Zhongguang Yiyun Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd., a supply chain management service platform for industrial raw materials and has served as its General Manager since then. Mr. Xu also founded Shanghai Qinhui Information Technology Co., Ltd., a company focusing on researching and operating quantitative trading software and trading strategy models for commodity futures, in 2011 and has served as its General Manager since then. In January 2003, he co-founded Jiangsu Jiasheng Enterprise Group, a chemical manufacturing company and served as Deputy General Manager of the company from January 2003 to November 2007. Prior to that, from January 1995 to December 2002, Mr. Xu was employed by Sinochem Pudong Trading Co., Ltd., a chemical trading company, as the manager of Import Department, and was transferred to the second division of chemical products of Sinochem International Co., Ltd., a chemical trading company, as the General Manager. From August 1992 to December 1994, he was employed by the First Law Firm of Jiangxi Province as a trainee lawyer. Mr. Xu graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from Nankai University in 1994.
Bo Ren has served as our Chief Financial Officer and director since March 2024. Mr. Ren also served as the Deputy General Manager and Chief Financial Officer of Net Plastic Technology since 2023 and served as Deputy General Manager of Finance and in other roles from June 2019 to October 2023. Mr. Ren served as a fund manager at Wuniu Equity Investment Management Co., Ltd., an equity investment company, from August 2018 to 2019. Prior to that, from June 2016 to July 2018, he was employed by Tian’an Baiying Insurance Sales Co., Ltd., a property insurance company, as a fund manager and participated in the establishment of the company’s financial sharing center and information system. From August 2010 to May 2016, Mr. Ren was employed by Shanghai Branch of China Life Insurance Co., Ltd., one of the largest life insurance companies in China, mainly responsible for financial accounting and tax affairs. Mr. Ren graduated from the Northeast Forestry University with a Bachelor’s degree in accounting in July 2010.
Lei Qin has served as our director since October 2025. Mr. Qin has served as the Senior Finance Manager of TUHU Car Inc (HKG: 9690), an integrated online and offline platform for automotive services, since September 2019. From July 2017 to July 2019, Mr. Qin served as Department Head of the Audit Department at Shanghai Haizhixin Houde
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Accounting Firm. Prior to that, he worked at Deloitte Shanghai office as Audit Manager from September 2014 to June 2017 and as Audit Assistant and Audit Senior Assistant from July 2008 to September 2014. Mr. Qin graduated from Shanghai University of International Business and Economics with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2008.
Kang Zhou has served as our director since October 2025. Mr. Zhou has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Igvault HK Limited, an e-commerce company, since October 2021. From August 2011 to October 2021, he served as Vice President at Shenzhen Meilian International Education Co. Ltd., a foreign language education company. Prior to that, Mr. Zhou worked as the Director of Strategic Operation at Hucais Printing Co., Ltd., a printing company, from September 2004 to August 2011. Mr. Zhou graduated from Jiangsu University majoring in international accounting in 1997. Mr. Zhou holds an EMBA degree from China Europe International Business School.
Wei Li has served as our director since October 2025. Ms. Li has over 17 years of experience in accounting and management. She has served as Chief Financial Officer of QDM International Inc. (OTCQB: QDMI), an insurance broker, since August 2024. Since October 2019, Ms. Li has been a Partner and the Chief Financial Officer of Beyond Consultancy Corporation, a company that provides capital market solutions for companies planning to go public, assists companies in the preparation of their financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP and provides consultation on accounting related matters. Since July 2025, Ms. Li has served as a director of MaxsMaking Inc. (Nasdaq: MAMK), a manufacturer of customized consumer goods in China. From August 2023 to May 2024, Ms. Li served as Chief Financial Officer of Hongchang International Co., Ltd (OTC: HCIL), a company engaged in international food trade and processing, where she was responsible for the relevant matters during the reverse merger of the company. From April 2018 to February 2021, Ms. Li served as the Chief Financial Officer of Heyu Biological Technology Corporation (OTC: HYBT), a Malaysian company specializing in cancer cell therapy, where she oversaw the financial management matters of the company. From March 2018 to September 2019, Ms. Li served as an independent director of Dragon Victory International Limited (Nasdaq: LYL), a China-based crowdfunding platform company. From December 2011 to July 2017, she served as the Chief Financial Officer of China Education Alliances, Inc. (formerly NYSE: CEU), an online education company, where she oversaw the financial management matters of the company. From August 2010 to December 2011, Ms. Li worked as a senior consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, an international leading management consulting firm, where she focused on risk and control functions and provided audit, internal control advice and SOX compliance services to both public and private companies. From March 2006 to July 2010, Ms. Li served as senior auditor and tax advisor at RB Accountants, an accounting firm in Australia, where she provided financial auditing, planning and tax advice to both local and multinational companies. Ms. Li held a bachelor’s degree in Business (Accountancy) from Queensland University Technology in Australia in 2006. She has been a certified public accountant in Australia since 2010 and became a Fellow of Certified Practice Accountant (FCPA) in 2024.
RESOLUTIONS TO BE VOTED UPON
The resolutions to be proposed shall be as follows:
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that Hui Xu be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company, or until the office of such director is otherwise vacated or such director is removed by ordinary resolution in accordance with the articles of association of the Company.
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that Bo Ren be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company, or until the office of such director is otherwise vacated or such director is removed by ordinary resolution in accordance with the articles of association of the Company.
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that Lei Qin be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company, or until the office of such director is otherwise vacated or such director is removed by ordinary resolution in accordance with the articles of association of the Company.
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RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that Kang Zhou be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company, or until the office of such director is otherwise vacated or such director is removed by ordinary resolution in accordance with the articles of association of the Company.
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that Wei Li be re-elected as a director of the Company to hold office until the next annual general meeting of the Company, or until the office of such director is otherwise vacated or such director is removed by ordinary resolution in accordance with the articles of association of the Company.
VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
The re-election of each Director Nominee requires an ordinary resolution, being the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the result of the vote.
The re-election of each director nominee will become effective upon the passing of the relevant ordinary resolution.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE FOR
RE-ELECTION OF EACH DIRECTOR NOMINEE.
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THE EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN PROPOSAL
On April 23, 2026, our Board adopted and approved the 2026 Plan, subject to shareholder approval. At the Meeting, our shareholders will be asked to consider and vote upon a proposal to approve the2026 Plan, a copy of which is attached to this proxy statement as Annex A.
The 2026 Plan will become effective on the date it is approved by our shareholders at the Meeting. If the 2026 Plan is not approved by our shareholders, it will not become effective and no awards will be granted thereunder.
REASON FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE 2026 PLAN
Our Board has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company to adopt the 2026 Plan, pursuant to which we will be able to grant awards of options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards, dividend equivalent awards, and other stock- and cash-based awards.
SUMMARY OF MATERIAL TERMS OF THE 2026 PLAN
The following is a summary of the material features of the 2026 Plan. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the 2026 Plan, a copy of which is included as Annex A to this proxy statement.
Purpose
The purpose of the 2026 Plan is to enhance the ability of the Company to attract, retain and motivate persons who make important contributions to the Company by providing these individuals with equity ownership opportunities and/or equity-linked compensatory opportunities. Equity awards and equity-linked compensatory opportunities are intended to assist in further aligning the interests of directors, employees, and consultants with those of our shareholders.
Eligibility
The Administrator may grant awards to any director, employee or consultant of the Company or its subsidiaries. Only employees are eligible to receive incentive stock options.
Administration
The 2026 Plan will be administered by the Board or one more committees or subcommittees of the Board, which will be comprised, unless otherwise determined by the Board, solely of not less than two members who will be non-employee directors (a “Committee”), or any officer that has been delegated administrative authority pursuant to the 2026 Plan for the duration such delegation is in effect (collectively, the “Administrator”). The Administrator will have full power to (i) designate participants; (ii) determine the type or types of awards to be granted to a participant; (iii) determine the number of shares to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances awards may be settled or exercised in cash, shares, other securities, other awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended, and the method or methods by which awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, shares, other securities, other awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an award shall be made; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, settle any controversy regarding, correct any defect in and/or complete any omission in the 2026 Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or award granted under, the 2026 Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the administrator shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the 2026 Plan; (ix) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, awards; (x) to reprice existing awards or to grant awards in connection with or in consideration of the cancellation of an outstanding award with a higher price; and (xi) make any other determination and take any other action that the administrator deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the 2026 Plan.
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Share Reserve
The maximum aggregate number of the Company’s ordinary shares (the “Plan Shares”) that may be issued under the 2026 Plan is the sum of (A) 2,218,500, plus (B) an increase commencing on January 1, 2027 and continuing annually on each anniversary thereof through and including January 1, 2036, equal to the lesser of (i) 3% of the Plan Shares outstanding on the last day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (ii) such smaller number of Plan Shares as determined by the Board or the Committee.
Subject to the terms of the Plan, up to 5,000,000 Plan Shares may be issued upon the exercise of incentive stock options.
Plan Shares issuable under the 2026 Plan may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Plan Shares. Plan Shares underlying any awards under the 2026 Plan that are settled in cash, forfeited, canceled, repurchased, held back upon exercise of an option or settlement of an award to cover the exercise price or tax withholding satisfied without the issuance of stock or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) will be added back to the shares available for issuance under the 2026 Plan, although shares shall not again become available for issuance as incentive stock options. Additionally, Plan Shares issued as “substitute awards” (as defined in the 2026 Plan) will not count against the 2026 Plan’s share limit, except substitute awards that are incentive stock options will count against the incentive stock option limit.
The share reserve described herein may be subject to certain adjustments in the event of certain changes in the capitalization of the Company (see Equitable Adjustments below).
Annual Limitation on Awards to Non-Employee Directors
The 2026 Plan contains a limitation whereby the value of all awards under the 2026 Plan and all other cash compensation paid by the Company to any non-employee director may not exceed $1,000,000 for the first calendar year a non-employee director is initially appointed to the Board, and $750,000 in any other calendar year.
Types of Awards
The 2026 Plan provides for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards, dividend equivalent awards, and other stock- or cash-based awards (collectively, “awards”).
Stock Options. The 2026 Plan permits the granting of both options intended to qualify as incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and options that do not so qualify. Options granted under the 2026 Plan will be nonqualified options if they fail to qualify as incentive stock options or exceed the annual limit on incentive stock options. Incentive stock options may only be granted to employees of the Company and its subsidiaries. Nonqualified options may be granted to any persons eligible to receive awards under the 2026 Plan.
The exercise price of each option will be determined by the Administrator, but such exercise price may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of one Share on the date of grant or, in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a 10% or greater shareholder, 110% of such Share’s fair market value. The term of each option will be set by the Administrator and may not exceed ten (10) years from the date of grant (or five (5) years for an incentive stock option granted to a 10% or greater shareholder). The Administrator will determine at what time or times each option may be exercised, including the ability to accelerate the vesting of such options.
Upon exercise of an option, the exercise price must be paid in full either in cash, check or, with approval of the Administrator, by surrender of other Plan Shares that meet the conditions established by the Administrator to avoid adverse accounting consequences to the Company, by broker-assisted cashless exercise, by delivery of a notice of “net exercise” to the Company, such other consideration and method of payment to the extent permitted by applicable law, or any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.
Stock Appreciation Rights. The Administrator may award stock appreciation rights subject to such conditions and restrictions as it may determine. Stock appreciation rights entitle the recipient to Plan Shares or cash, equal to the value of the appreciation in the Company’s stock price over the exercise price, as set by the Administrator and which will be at least equal to the fair market value of a Share on the grant date. The term of each stock appreciation right will be set by the Administrator and may not exceed ten years from the date of grant. The Administrator will determine at what time or times each stock appreciation right may be exercised, including the ability to accelerate the vesting of such stock appreciation rights.
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Restricted Stock. A restricted stock award is an award of Plan Shares that vest in accordance with the terms and conditions established by the Administrator. The Administrator will determine the persons to whom grants of restricted stock awards are made, the number of restricted shares to be awarded, the price (if any) to be paid for the restricted shares, the time or times within which awards of restricted stock may be subject to forfeiture, the vesting schedule and rights to acceleration thereof, and all other terms and conditions of restricted stock awards. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, a participant generally will have the rights and privileges of a shareholder as to such restricted shares, including without limitation the right to vote such restricted shares and the right to receive cash dividends, if applicable.
Restricted Stock Units. Restricted stock units are the right to receive Plan Shares at a future date in accordance with the terms of such grant upon the attainment of certain conditions specified by the Administrator. Restrictions or conditions could include, but are not limited to, the attainment of performance goals, continuous service with the Company or its subsidiaries, the passage of time or other restrictions or conditions. The Administrator determines the persons to whom grants of restricted stock units are made, the number of restricted stock units to be awarded, the time or times within which awards of restricted stock units may be subject to forfeiture, the vesting schedule, and rights to acceleration thereof, and all other terms and conditions of the restricted stock unit awards. The value of the restricted stock units may be paid in Plan Shares, cash, other securities, other property, or a combination of the foregoing, as determined by the Administrator.
The holders of restricted stock units will have no voting rights. Prior to settlement or forfeiture, restricted stock units awarded under the 2026 Plan may, at the Administrator’s discretion, provide for a right to dividend equivalents.
Performance Awards. The Administrator has the authority to grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, or restricted stock units as a performance award, which means that such awards vest at least in part upon the attainment of one or more specified performance criteria. For each performance period, the Administrator will have the sole authority to select the length of such performance period, the types of performance award to be granted, the performance criteria that will be used to establish the performance goals, and the level(s) of performance which shall result in a performance award being earned. At any time, the Administrator may adjust or modify the calculation of a performance goal for a performance period, to appropriately reflect any circumstance or event that occurs during a performance period and that in the Administrator’s sole discretion, warrants adjustment or modification. Depending on the type of performance award granted, the previously discussed terms and conditions will also apply to a performance award.
Performance criteria for a performance award may be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more subsidiaries, divisions, business segments or operational units, or any combination of the foregoing) and may include, without limitation, any of the following: (i) net earnings or net income (before or after taxes); (ii) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (iii) revenue or revenue growth (measured on a net or gross basis); (iv) gross profit or gross profit growth; (v) operating profit (before or after taxes); (vi) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, invested capital, equity, or sales); (vii) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, net cash provided by operations and cash flow return on capital); (viii) financing and other capital raising transactions (including, but not limited to, sales of the Company’s equity or debt securities); (ix) earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation and/or amortization; (x) gross or operating margins; (xi) productivity ratios; (xii) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return); (xiii) expense targets; (xiv) margins; (xv) productivity and operating efficiencies; (xvi) customer satisfaction; (xvii) customer growth; (xviii) working capital targets; (xix) measures of economic value added; (xx) inventory control; (xxi) enterprise value; (xxii) sales; (xxiii) debt levels and net debt; (xxiv) combined ratio; (xxv) timely launch of new facilities; (xxvi) client retention; (xxvii) employee retention; (xxviii) timely completion of new product rollouts; (xxix) cost targets; (xxx) reductions and savings; (xxxi) productivity and efficiencies; (xxxii) strategic partnerships or transactions; and (xxxiii) personal targets, goals or completion of projects. Any one or more of the performance criteria may be used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of the Company and/or one or more subsidiaries as a whole or any business unit(s) of the Company and/or one or more subsidiaries or any combination thereof, or any of the above performance criteria may be compared to the performance of a selected group of comparison or peer companies, or a published or special index that the Administrator deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices.
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Dividend Equivalents. An award of dividend equivalents entitles the holder to be credited with an amount equal to all dividends paid on one Share while the holder’s tandem award is outstanding. Dividend equivalents may be paid currently or credited to an account for the participant, settled in cash or Plan Shares, and subject to the same restriction on transferability and forfeitability as the award with respect to which the dividend equivalents are granted.
Other Stock- or Cash-Based Awards. Other stock-based awards may be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with, other awards granted under the 2026 Plan and/or cash awards made outside of the 2026 Plan. The Administrator shall have authority to determine the service providers to whom and the time or times at which other stock-based awards shall be made, the amount of such other stock-based awards, and all other conditions of the other stock-based awards including any dividend and/or voting rights. The Administrator may grant cash awards in such amounts and subject to such performance or other vesting criteria and terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine.
Repricing
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the 2026 Plan, unless a repricing is approved by shareholders, in no case may the Administrator (i) amend an outstanding option or stock appreciation right to reduce the exercise price of the award, (ii) cancel, exchange, or surrender an outstanding option or stock appreciation right in exchange for cash or other awards for the purpose of repricing the award, or (iii) cancel, exchange, or surrender an outstanding option or stock appreciation right in exchange for an option or stock appreciation right with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original award.
Tax Withholding
Participants in the 2026 Plan are responsible for the payment of any federal, state, or local taxes that the Company or its subsidiaries are required by law to withhold upon the exercise of options or stock appreciation rights or vesting of other awards. Without limitation, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, permit a participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by (A) the delivery of Plan Shares (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) owned by the participant having a fair market value equal to such withholding liability, (B) having the Company withhold from the number of Plan Shares otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the award a number of Plan Shares with a fair market value equal to such withholding liability, (C) deducting an amount sufficient to satisfy such withholding obligation from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a participant, (D) accepting a payment from the participant in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or by check made payable to the order of the Company, or (E) if there is a public market for shares at the time the withholding obligation for a tax obligation is to be satisfied, selling Plan Shares issued pursuant to the award creating the withholding obligation. The amount withheld pursuant to any of the foregoing payment forms will be determined by the Company and may be up to (but not in excess of) the aggregate amount of such obligations based on the maximum statutory withholding rates in the participant’s jurisdiction for all tax obligations that are applicable to such taxable income.
Equitable Adjustments
In the event of a merger, consolidation, recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase or other change in corporate structure affecting the Plan Shares, the Administrator will adjust (i) the number and class of shares which may be delivered under the 2026 Plan (or number and kind of other securities or other property); (ii) the number, class and price (including the exercise or strike price of options and stock appreciation rights) of shares subject to outstanding awards, (iii) any applicable performance criteria, performance period, and other terms and conditions of outstanding performance awards, and (iv) the 2026 Plan’s numerical limits.
Change in Control
In the event of any change in control (as defined in the 2026 Plan), any outstanding award will be treated in accordance with the applicable award agreement. If the applicable award agreement does not specify the treatment of the award in a change in control, then the award will be treated as determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. The Administrator is not obligated to treat all outstanding awards similarly.
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Transferability of Awards
Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, an award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner, except to a participant’s estate or legal representative, and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the participant, only by the participant.
Term
The 2026 Plan will become effective when approved by our shareholders, and, unless terminated earlier, the 2026 Plan will continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years.
Amendment and Termination
Our Board may amend, alter, suspend or terminate the 2026 Plan at any time. No amendment or termination of the 2026 Plan will materially impair the rights of any participant, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the participant and the Company. Approval of the shareholders shall be required for any amendment, where required by applicable law, as well as (i) to increase the number of Plan Shares available for issuance under the 2026 Plan and (ii) to change the persons or class of persons eligible to receive awards under the 2026 Plan.
Recoupment Policy
All awards granted under the 2026 Plan, all amounts paid under the 2026 Plan, and all Plan Shares issued under the 2026 Plan shall be subject to reduction, recoupment, clawback, or recovery by the Company in accordance with applicable laws and with Company policy.
Form S-8
The Company intends to file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-8 covering the Plan Shares issuable under the 2026 Plan.
Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following is a general summary under current law of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations related to awards and certain transactions under the 2026 Plan, based upon the current provisions of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder. This summary deals with the general federal income tax principles that apply and is provided only for general information. It does not describe all federal tax consequences under the 2026 Plan, nor does it describe state, local, or foreign income tax consequences or federal employment tax consequences. The rules governing the tax treatment of such awards are quite technical, so the following discussion of tax consequences is necessarily general in nature and is not complete. In addition, statutory provisions are subject to change, as are their interpretations, and their application may vary in individual circumstances. This summary is not intended as tax advice to participants, who should consult their own tax advisors.
The 2026 Plan is not qualified under the provisions of Section 401(a) of the Code and is not subject to any of the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. The Company’s ability to realize the benefit of any tax deductions described below depends on the Company’s generation of taxable income as well as the requirement of reasonableness and the satisfaction of the Company’s tax reporting obligations.
Incentive Stock Options. No taxable income is generally realized by the optionee upon the grant or exercise of an incentive stock option. If Plan Shares issued to an optionee pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option are sold or transferred after two years from the date of grant and after one year from the date of exercise, then generally (i) upon sale of such Plan Shares, any amount realized in excess of the option exercise price (the amount paid for the shares) will be taxed to the optionee as a long-term capital gain, and any loss sustained will be a long-term capital loss, and (ii) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries will be entitled to any deduction for federal income tax purposes; provided that such incentive stock option otherwise meets all of the technical requirements of an incentive stock option. The exercise of an incentive stock option will give rise to an item of tax preference that may result in alternative minimum tax liability for the optionee.
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If the Plan Shares acquired upon the exercise of an incentive stock option are disposed of prior to the expiration of the two-year and one-year holding periods described above (a “disqualifying disposition”), generally (i) the optionee will realize ordinary income in the year of disposition in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the fair market value of the Plan Shares at exercise (or, if less, the amount realized on a sale of such Plan Shares) over the option exercise price thereof, and (ii) the Company or its subsidiaries will be entitled to deduct such amount. Special rules will apply where all or a portion of the exercise price of the incentive stock option is paid by tendering Plan Shares.
If an incentive stock option is exercised at a time when it no longer qualifies for the tax treatment described above, the option is treated as a nonqualified option. Generally, an incentive stock option will not be eligible for the tax treatment described above if it is exercised more than three months following termination of employment (or one year in the case of termination of employment by reason of disability). In the case of termination of employment by reason of death, the three-month rule does not apply.
Nonqualified Options. No income is generally realized by the optionee at the time a nonqualified option is granted. Generally, (i) at exercise, ordinary income is realized by the optionee in an amount equal to the difference between the option exercise price and the fair market value of the Plan Shares issued on the date of exercise, and the Company or its subsidiaries receive a tax deduction for the same amount, and (ii) at disposition, appreciation or depreciation after the date of exercise is treated as either short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on how long the Plan Shares have been held. Special rules will apply where all or a portion of the exercise price of the nonqualified option is paid by tendering Plan Shares. Upon exercise, the optionee will also be subject to Social Security taxes on the excess of the fair market value of the Plan Shares over the exercise price of the option.
Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Awards and Other Stock- and Cash-Based Awards. The current federal income tax consequences of other awards authorized under the 2026 Plan generally follow certain basic patterns: (i) stock appreciation rights are taxed and deductible in substantially the same manner as nonqualified options; (ii) nontransferable restricted stock subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture results in income recognition equal to the excess of the fair market value of the Plan Shares over the price paid, if any, only at the time the restrictions lapse (unless the recipient elects to accelerate recognition as of the date of grant through a Section 83(b) election); and (iii) restricted stock units, dividend equivalents, and other stock- or cash-based awards are generally subject to tax at the time of payment. The Company or its subsidiaries generally should be entitled to a federal income tax deduction in an amount equal to the ordinary income recognized by the participant at the time the participant recognizes such income.
The participant’s basis for the determination of gain or loss upon the subsequent disposition of Plan Shares acquired from a stock appreciation right, restricted stock, restricted stock unit, dividend equivalent award, or other stock-based award will be the amount paid for such shares plus any ordinary income recognized when the shares were originally delivered, and the participant’s capital gain holding period for those shares will begin on the day after they are transferred to the participant.
Performance Awards. The tax consequences of performance awards will generally mirror those of the underlying award type, each of which is discussed above.
Parachute Payments. The vesting of any portion of an award that is accelerated due to the occurrence of a change in control (such as a sale event) may cause all or a portion of the payments with respect to such accelerated awards to be treated as “parachute payments” as defined in the Code. Any such parachute payments may be non-deductible to either the Company or its subsidiaries, in whole or in part, and may subject the recipient to a non-deductible 20% federal excise tax on all or a portion of such payment (in addition to other taxes ordinarily payable).
Section 409A. The foregoing description assumes that Section 409A of the Code does not apply to an award under the 2026 Plan. In general, stock options and stock appreciation rights are exempt from Section 409A if the exercise price per share is at least equal to the fair market value per share of the underlying stock at the time the option or stock appreciation right was granted. Restricted stock awards are not generally subject to Section 409A. Restricted stock units are subject to Section 409A unless they are settled within two and one-half months after the end of the later of (1) the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which vesting occurs or (2) the end of the calendar year in which vesting occurs. If an award is subject to Section 409A and the provisions for the exercise or settlement of that award do not comply with Section 409A, then the participant would be required to recognize ordinary income whenever a portion of the award vested (regardless of whether it had been exercised or settled). This amount would also be subject to a 20% federal tax and premium interest in addition to the federal income tax at the participant’s usual marginal rate for ordinary income.
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New Plan Benefits
No awards have been previously granted under the 2026 Plan and no awards have been granted that are contingent on shareholder approval of the 2026 Plan. The awards that are to be granted to any participant or group of participants are indeterminable at the date of this Proxy Statement because participation and the types of awards that may be granted under the 2026 Plan are subject to the discretion of the Administrator. Consequently, no new plan benefits table is included in this Proxy Statement.
RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED UPON
The resolution to be proposed shall be as follows:
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that the 2026 Plan be approved and adopted.
VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
The approval of Proposal No. 2 requires an ordinary resolution, being the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting.
Abstentions and broker non-votes, while considered present for the purposes of establishing a quorum, will not count as a vote cast at the Meeting.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE FOR
THE ADOPTION OF THE 2026 PLAN.
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THE AUDITOR APPOINTMENT RATIFICATION PROPOSAL
The Company’s audit committee recommends, and the Board concurs, that ZH CPA, LLC be appointed as the Company’s auditor for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 (the “Auditor Appointment”).
In the event that our shareholders fail to ratify the appointment, our audit committee will reconsider its selection. Even if the appointment is ratified, our audit committee in its discretion may recommend the appointment of a different auditor at any time during the year, if the audit committee believes that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED UPON
The resolution to be proposed shall be as follows:
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that the appointment of ZH CPA, LLC as the auditor of the Company for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 be ratified.
VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
The approval of Proposal No. 3 requires an ordinary resolution, being the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the result of the vote.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE FOR
RATIFICATION OF THE AUDITOR APPOINTMENT.
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THE SHARE SPLIT PROPOSAL
GENERAL
The Board believes that it is in the best interest of the Company and the shareholders, and is hereby soliciting shareholder approval, subject to Proposal No. 5 below being passed at the Meeting, to effect a sub-division of the ordinary shares of the Company, at a ratio of not less than 1-to-1 and not more than 1-to-5, with the final ratio to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at any time after approval by the shareholders (the “Share Split”), and to authorize the Board to implement the Share Split at its sole discretion at any time prior to the one-year anniversary of the Meeting, subject at all times to the Board being authorized, at its sole discretion and without further approval or notice to the shareholders, to determine not to implement the Share Split.
The Share Split will be implemented simultaneously for all authorized, issued, and outstanding ordinary shares. The Share Split will affect all shareholders uniformly and will have no effect on the proportionate holdings of any individual shareholder, with the exception of adjustments related to the treatment of fractional shares.
PURPOSE OF THE SHARE SPLIT
The Company’s ordinary shares are currently listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) and there are 22,185,000 ordinary shares issued and outstanding as of April 27, 2026. The Board believes that the Share Split is advisable and in the best interest of the shareholders to increase the number of total ordinary shares issued and outstanding, enhancing the liquidity and marketability of the ordinary shares and better facilitating the Company’s financing and other corporate efforts.
REGISTRATION AND TRADING OF THE COMPANY’S ORDINARY SHARES
The Share Split will not affect the registration of the Company’s ordinary shares or the Company’s obligation to publicly file financial and other information with the SEC. When the Share Split is implemented, the Company’s ordinary shares will begin trading on a post-split basis on the effective date that the Company announces by press release.
STREET NAME SHAREHOLDERS
The Company intends for the Share Split to treat shareholders holding ordinary shares in street name through a nominee (such as a bank or broker) in the same manner as shareholders whose shares are registered in their names. Nominees will be instructed to effect the Share Split for their beneficial holders. However, nominees may have different procedures. Accordingly, shareholders holding ordinary shares in street name should contact their nominees.
FRACTIONAL SHARES
No fractional shares will be issued in connection with any of the Share Split. Instead, any fractional shares resulting from the Share Split shall be rounded up to the next whole number. Cash will not be paid for fractional shares.
RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED UPON
The full text of the resolution to be proposed is as follows:
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that subject to the Articles Amendment No. 1 Proposal below being passed at the meeting, (a) a sub-division of the ordinary shares of the Company, at a ratio of not less than 1-to-1 and not more than 1-to-5, with the final ratio to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at any time after approval by the shareholders, be and is hereby approved, and (b) the Board be and is hereby authorized to implement the Share Split at its sole discretion at any time prior to the one-year anniversary of the Meeting, subject at all times to the Board being authorized, at its sole discretion and without further approval or notice to the shareholders, to determine not to implement the Share Split.
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VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
The approval of Proposal No. 4 requires an ordinary resolution, being the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting.
Abstentions and broker non-votes, while considered present for the purposes of establishing a quorum, will not count as a vote cast at the Meeting.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE FOR
THE SHARE SPLIT.
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THE ARTICLES AMENDMENT NO. 1 PROPOSAL
GENERAL
Our Board has determined, subject to the Share Split Proposal being approved at the Meeting and the Share Split being implemented by the Board, it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, for the Company to amend and restate the memorandum and articles of association of the Company then in effect to reflect the Share Split, in the form attached hereto as Annex B, effective from the date of filing by the Company with the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies of the shareholder resolutions adopting such amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, in substitution for and to the exclusion of, the memorandum and articles of association of the Company then in effect.
The draft form of amended and restated memorandum and articles of association assumes that the shareholders have approved the Share Split Proposal. The form of amended and restated memorandum and articles of association attached as Annex B is also referred to in Proposal No. 7 below (Articles Amendment No. 2 Proposal). As the amendments required to reflect the Share Split and the Share Consolidation are substantially identical in nature, a single form has been attached for both proposals. The form will be completed by the Board to reflect whichever corporate action is implemented, if any.
This Proposal is conditional upon the Share Split Proposal above being passed at the Meeting. If this proposal is approved but the Share Split Proposal is not approved, this proposal shall have no effect.
RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED UPON
The full text of the resolution to be proposed is as follows:
RESOLVED, BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION, that, subject to the Share Split Proposal being approved at the Meeting and the Share Split being implemented by the Board, the memorandum and articles of association of the Company be amended and restated by the deletion in their entirety and the substitution in their place of the memorandum and articles of association in the form attached hereto as Annex B.
VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
The approval of the Articles Amendment No. 1 Proposal requires a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting.
Abstentions and broker non-votes, while considered present for the purposes of establishing a quorum, will not count as a vote cast at the Meeting.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE FOR
THE ARTICLES AMENDMENT NO. 1 PROPOSAL.
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THE SHARE CONSOLIDATION PROPOSAL
GENERAL
The Board believes that it is in the best interest of the Company and the shareholders, and is hereby soliciting shareholder approval, to effect a share consolidation of the ordinary shares of the Company, at a ratio of not less than 1-to-1 and not more than 20-to-1, with the final ratio to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at any time after approval by the shareholders (the “Share Consolidation”), and to authorize the Board to implement the Share Consolidation at its sole discretion at any time prior to the one-year anniversary of the Meeting, subject at all times to the Board being authorized, at its sole discretion and without further approval or notice to the shareholders, to determine not to implement the Share Consolidation.
The Board shall have the absolute discretion to determine when the Share Consolidation shall be implemented, if at all.
The Share Consolidation will be implemented simultaneously for all authorized, issued, and outstanding shares. The Share Consolidation will affect all shareholders uniformly and will have no effect on the proportionate holdings of any individual shareholder, with the exception of adjustments related to the treatment of fractional shares.
PURPOSE OF THE SHARE CONSOLIDATION
The Company’s ordinary shares are currently listed on Nasdaq. Among other requirements, the listing maintenance standards established by Nasdaq require the ordinary shares to have a minimum closing bid price of at least US$1.00 per share. The Board believes that the Share Consolidation may be necessary or advisable to increase the per-share market price of the Company’s ordinary shares and to maintain compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements.
The Board has considered the potential harm to the Company of a delisting from Nasdaq and believes that delisting could, among other things, adversely affect (i) the trading price of the ordinary shares and (ii) the liquidity and marketability of the ordinary shares. This could reduce the ability of holders of the ordinary shares to purchase or sell ordinary shares as quickly and as inexpensively as they have done historically.
FRACTIONAL SHARES
No fractional shares will be issued in connection with any of the Share Consolidation. Instead, any fractional shares resulting from the Share Consolidation shall be rounded up to the next whole number. Cash will not be paid for fractional shares.
REGISTRATION AND TRADING OF THE COMPANY’S ORDINARY SHARES
The Share Consolidation will not affect the registration of the Company’s ordinary shares or the Company’s obligation to publicly file financial and other information with the SEC. When the Share Consolidation is implemented, the Company’s ordinary shares will begin trading on a post-consolidation basis on the effective date that the Company announces by press release.
STREET NAME SHAREHOLDERS
The Company intends for the Share Consolidation to treat shareholders holding ordinary shares in street name through a nominee (such as a bank or broker) in the same manner as shareholders whose shares are registered in their names. Nominees will be instructed to effect the Share Consolidation for their beneficial holders. However, nominees may have different procedures. Accordingly, shareholders holding ordinary shares in street name should contact their nominees.
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RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED UPON
The full text of the resolution to be proposed is as follows:
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that subject to Articles Amendment No. 2 Proposal below being passed at the Meeting, (a) a consolidation of the ordinary shares of the Company, at a ratio of not less than 1-to-1 and not more than 20-to-1, with the final ratio to be determined by the Board in its sole discretion at any time after approval by the shareholders, be and is hereby approved, (b) the Board be and is hereby authorized to implement the Share Consolidation at its sole discretion at any time prior to the one-year anniversary of the Meeting, subject at all times to the Board being authorized, at its sole discretion and without further approval or notice to the shareholders, to determine not to implement the Share Consolidation, and (c) no fractional shares shall be issued in connection with the Share Consolidation and all fractional shares resulting from the Share Consolidation shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
The approval of Proposal No. 6 requires an ordinary resolution, being the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting.
Abstentions and broker non-votes, while considered present for the purposes of establishing a quorum, will not count as a vote cast at the Meeting.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE FOR
THE SHARE CONSOLIDATION.
19
THE ARTICLES AMENDMENT NO. 2 PROPOSAL
GENERAL
Our Board has determined, subject to the Share Consolidation Proposal being approved at the Meeting and the Share Consolidation being implemented by the Board, it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, for the Company to amend and restate the memorandum and articles of association of the Company then in effect to reflect the Share Consolidation, in the form attached hereto as Annex B, effective from the date of filing by the Company with the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies of the shareholder resolutions adopting such amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, in substitution for and to the exclusion of, the memorandum and articles of association of the Company then in effect.
The draft form of amended and restated memorandum and articles of association assumes that the shareholders have approved the Share Consolidation Proposal. As described under Proposal No. 5 above, a single form of amended and restated memorandum and articles of association has been attached as Annex B for both this proposal and Proposal No. 5, and will be completed to reflect the relevant corporate action implemented by the Board, if any.
This proposal is conditional upon the Share Consolidation Proposal above being passed at the Meeting. If this proposal is approved but the Share Consolidation Proposal is not approved, this proposal shall have no effect.
RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED UPON
The full text of the resolution to be proposed is as follows:
RESOLVED, BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION, that, subject to the Share Consolidation Proposal being approved at the Meeting and the Share Consolidation being implemented by the Board, the memorandum and articles of association of the Company be amended and restated by the deletion in their entirety and the substitution in their place of the memorandum and articles of association in the form attached hereto as Annex B.
VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
The approval of the Articles Amendment No. 2 Proposal requires a special resolution under Cayman Islands law, being the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting.
Abstentions and broker non-votes, while considered present for the purposes of establishing a quorum, will not count as a vote cast at the Meeting.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE FOR
THE ARTICLES AMENDMENT NO. 2 PROPOSAL
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THE ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL
GENERAL
The Board is requesting that shareholders approve a proposal to adjourn the Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes at the time of the Meeting to approve any of the proposals presented at the Meeting. If shareholders approve this adjournment proposal, the Board could adjourn the Meeting and use the additional time to solicit additional proxies, including proxies from shareholders who have previously voted.
If the Meeting is adjourned, notice of the adjourned meeting need not be given if the time and place of the adjourned meeting are announced at the Meeting at which the adjournment is taken and the Meeting is adjourned for less than fourteen days. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present, the Company may transact any business that might have been transacted at the original meeting.
RESOLUTION TO BE VOTED UPON
The resolution to be proposed shall be as follows:
RESOLVED, BY ORDINARY RESOLUTION, that the adjournment of the Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies in the event that there are insufficient votes at the time of the Meeting to approve any of the foregoing proposals, be approved.
VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL
The approval of Proposal No. 8 requires an ordinary resolution being the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by such shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the result of the vote.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS
A VOTE FOR
THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE MEETING.
21
Shareholders or interested parties may send communications to the Board, to any standing committee of the Board, or to any Director, in writing, to 703, Block A, 1799 Wuzhong Road, Minhang District Shanghai. Shareholders or interested parties may also submit questions, concerns to our Bo Ren at +86 150-0067-2088 or at ir@totrade.cn. Communications received may be reviewed by Board to ensure appropriate and careful review of the matter.
The Board is not aware of any other matters to be submitted to the Meeting. If any other matters properly come before the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy to vote the shares they represent as the Board may recommend.
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By order of the Board of Directors |
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April 28, 2026 |
/s/ Hui Xu |
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Hui Xu |
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Chief Executive Officer and Director |
22
TEXXON HOLDING LIMITED
2026 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1. Purpose
The Plan’s purpose is to attract, retain, and motivate persons who make important contributions to the Company by providing these individuals with the opportunity to acquire Shares. Additionally, the Plan is intended to align the interests of these individuals to those of the Company’s other shareholders.
2. Definitions
2.1. Administrator means the Board or a Committee to the extent the Board’s powers and authorities under the Plan have been delegated to a Committee. “Administrator” also includes any officer that has been delegated authority pursuant to Section 4.2 for such time as such delegation is in effect.
2.2. Affiliate means (i) any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company and/or (ii) to the extent provided by the Board or a Committee, any person or entity in which the Company has a significant interest as determined by the Board or a Committee in its discretion. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.
2.3. Applicable Law means any applicable law, including without limitation: (i) provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any rules or regulations thereunder, (ii) corporate, securities, tax or other laws, statutes, rules, requirements, or regulations, whether federal, state, local, or foreign, and (iii) rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted, or traded.
2.4. Award means an Option award, Stock Appreciation Right award, Restricted Stock award, Restricted Stock Unit award, Performance Award, Dividend Equivalents award, or Other Stock or Cash Based Award granted to a Participant under the Plan.
2.5. Award Agreement means an agreement (written or electronic) made and delivered in accordance with Section 12.3 of this Plan, evidencing the grant of an Award hereunder.
2.6. Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.7. Cause means, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, (i) the Company or an Affiliate having “cause” to terminate a Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any employment or consulting agreement or similar document or policy between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination or (ii) in the absence of any such employment or consulting agreement, document or policy (or the absence of any definition of “Cause” contained therein), (A) a continuing material breach or material default (including, without limitation, any material dereliction of duty) by Participant of any agreement between the Participant and the Company, except for any such breach or default which is caused by the Participant’s Disability, or a continuing failure by the Participant to follow the direction of a duly authorized representative of the Company; (B) gross negligence, willful misfeasance or breach of fiduciary duty to the Company or Affiliate by the Participant; (C) the commission by the Participant of an act of fraud, embezzlement or any felony or other crime of dishonesty in connection with the Participant’s duties to the Company or Affiliate; or (D) the Participant’s conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, a felony or any other crime that would materially and adversely affect: (i) the business reputation of the Company or Affiliate or (ii) the performance of the Participant’s duties to the Company or an Affiliate. Any determination of whether Cause exists shall be made by the Administrator in its sole discretion.
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2.8. Change in Control shall, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise or contains a different definition of “Change in Control” be deemed to occur upon:
2.8.1. A tender offer (or series of related offers) which is made and consummated for the ownership of 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Company, unless as a result of such tender offer more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation or entity are owned in the aggregate by (A) the shareholders of the Company (as of the time immediately prior to the commencement of such offer), or (B) any employee benefit plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and their Affiliates;
2.8.2. The consummation of the Company’s merger or consolidation with another corporation, unless as a result of such merger or consolidation, more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation or entity shall be owned in the aggregate by (A) the shareholders of the Company (as of the time immediately prior to such transaction); provided, that a merger or consolidation of the Company with another company which is controlled by persons owning more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company shall constitute a Change in Control unless the Administrator, in its discretion, determine otherwise, or (B) any employee benefit plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and their Affiliates;
2.8.3. The consummation of the Company’s sale of substantially all of its assets to another entity that is not wholly owned by the Company, unless as a result of such sale more than 50% of such assets shall be owned in the aggregate by (A) the shareholders of the Company (as of the time immediately prior to such transaction), or (B) any employee benefit plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and their Affiliates;
2.8.4. The consummation of a transaction, or series of transactions, in which a Person acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (whether directly, indirectly, beneficially or of record), unless as a result of such acquisition more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation or entity shall be owned in the aggregate by (A) the shareholders of the Company (as of the time immediately prior to the first acquisition of such securities by such Person), or (B) any employee benefit plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries, and their Affiliates; or
2.8.5. The Incumbent Directors cease to constitute a majority of the Board for any reason.
For purposes of this Section 2.8, ownership of voting securities shall take into account and shall include ownership as determined by applying the provisions of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) (as in effect on the date hereof) under the Exchange Act.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award or portion thereof that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, then to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described above in this Section 2.8 with respect to such Award or portion thereof shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).
The Administrator shall have the authority, in its sole discretion, to determine whether a Change in Control has occurred, the effective date of such Change in Control, and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.
2.9. Clawback Policies means any policy of the Company regarding the reduction, recoupment, clawback or recovery of compensation, as such policies may be amended from time to time. “Clawback Policies” includes the Company’s policies to comply with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or other Applicable Law, as well as any implementing regulations and/or listing standards.
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2.10. Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto. References in this Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance issued by any governmental authority under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, regulations or guidance.
2.11. Committee means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board, which shall be comprised, unless otherwise determined by the Board, solely of not less than two members who shall be (i) Non-Employee Directors, and (ii) “Non-Employee Directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3.
2.12. Company means Texxon Holding Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company.
2.13. Consultant means any person, including any adviser, engaged by the Company or a Subsidiary to render services to such entity if the consultant or adviser: (i) renders bona fide services to the Company or a Subsidiary, (ii) renders services not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and does not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities, and (iii) who qualifies as a consultant or advisor under Instruction A.1.(a)(1) of Form S-8 under the Securities Act.
2.14. Designated Beneficiary means, if permitted by the Company, the beneficiary or beneficiaries the Participant designates, in a manner the Company determines, to receive amounts due or exercise the Participant’s rights if the Participant dies. If a Participant does not make an effective designation, then the “Designated Beneficiary” will mean the Participant’s estate or legal heirs.
2.15. Director means a Board member.
2.16. Disability means a permanent and total disability under Code Section 22(e)(3).
2.17. Dividend Equivalents means a right granted to a Participant to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on a specified number of Shares. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares, by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Administrator.
2.18. Effective Date has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 21.
2.19. Employee means any employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
2.20. ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
2.21. Exchange Act means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and all regulations, guidance, and other interpretive authority issued thereunder.
2.22. Fair Market Value means unless otherwise provided by the Administrator in accordance with Applicable Law, on a given date, (i) if the Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, the closing sales price on the principal exchange of the Shares on such date, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable, or, in the absence of reported sales on such date, the closing sales price on the immediately preceding date on which sales were reported, or (ii) if the Shares are not listed on a national securities exchange, the mean between the bid and offered prices as quoted by any nationally recognized interdealer quotation system for such date, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or another source the Administrator deems reliable, provided that if the Shares are not quoted on an interdealer quotation system or it is determined that the fair market value is not properly reflected by such quotations, Fair Market Value will be determined by such other method as the Administrator determines in good faith to be reasonable and in compliance with Section 409A.
2.23. GAAP means United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
2.24. Greater Than 10% Shareholder means an individual then owning (within the meaning of Code Section 424(d)) more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary.
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2.25. Incentive Stock Option means an Option that meets the requirements to qualify as an “incentive stock option” as defined in Code Section 422.
2.26. Incumbent Directors means, for any period of 12 consecutive months, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new Director(s) (other than a Director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in clause 2.8.1 or 2.8.3 of the Change in Control definition) whose election or nomination for election to the Board was approved by a vote of at least a majority (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for Director without objection to such nomination) of the Directors then still in office who either were Directors at the beginning of the 12-month period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved. No individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to Directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be an Incumbent Director.
2.27. Non-Employee Director means a Director who is not an Employee.
2.28. Nonqualified Option means an Option that by its terms, or in operation, does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
2.29. Option means an Award granted pursuant to Section 6 hereof (excepting Stock Appreciation Rights) to purchase a specified number of Shares at a specified price per Share during a specified time period, each as specified in an Award Agreement. An Option may be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Option.
2.30. Ordinary Shares or Shares means the ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (and any stock or other securities into which such common shares may be converted or into which they may be exchanged).
2.31. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards means cash awards, awards of Shares, and other awards valued by reference to or based on, Shares or other property.
2.32. Parent means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined by Code Section 424(e).
2.33. Participant means a Service Provider who has been granted an Award.
2.34. Performance Award means an Award granted hereunder that vests or is earned based at least in part upon the attainment of performance criteria established by the Administrator.
2.35. Period of Restriction means the period during which the transfer of Restricted Stock is subject to restrictions and a substantial risk of forfeiture. Such restrictions may be based on the passage of time, the achievement of certain performance criteria, or the occurrence of other events as determined by the Administrator.
2.36. Person means as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof; however, a Person shall not include (A) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (B) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities; or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of stock of the Company.
2.37. Plan means this Texxon Holding Limited 2026 Equity Incentive Plan.
2.38. Restricted Stock means Shares, subject to a Period of Restriction or certain other specified restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous service for a specified period of time), granted under Section 7 or issued pursuant to the early exercise of an Option.
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2.39. Restricted Stock Unit or RSU means an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares, cash, other securities, or other property, subject to certain restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous service for a specified period of time), granted under Section 8.
2.40. Restrictive Covenant means any non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, non-disparagement, non-disclosure, or similar agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate.
2.41. Rule 16b-3 means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as amended.
2.42. Securities Act means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all regulations, guidance, and other interpretive authority issued thereunder.
2.43. Section 409A means Code Section 409A and the regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder by the United States Treasury Department, as amended.
2.44. Service Provider means an Employee, Consultant, or a Director.
2.45. Share Limit has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5.1.
2.46. Shares means shares of Common Stock.
2.47. Stock Appreciation Right or SAR means a right granted under Section 6 hereof to receive a payment equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a specified number of Shares on the date the right is exercised over the exercise price set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
2.48. Subsidiary means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined by Code Section 424(f).
2.49. Substitute Awards means Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, in each case by a company or other entity acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.
2.50. Tax Obligations means any United States and non-United States federal, state, and/or local taxes, including income tax, social insurance contributions, fringe benefit tax, employment tax, stamp tax, and any employer tax liability which has been transferred to a Participant, for which a Participant is liable in connection with Awards and/or Shares.
2.51. Termination of Service means the time at which a Participant has terminated from all service with the Company and its Affiliates, for any reason. A Termination of Service shall occur when a Participant is no longer a Consultant, Employee, or Non-Employee Director. The Company, in its sole discretion, shall make all determinations regarding whether a Termination of Service has occurred.
3. Eligibility
Service Providers are eligible to receive Awards pursuant to the Plan, subject to the Plan’s conditions and limitations. No Service Provider shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Administrator is obligated to treat Service Providers, Participants, or other persons uniformly.
4. Administration
4.1. Generally. The Plan will be administered by the Administrator. The Administrator is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Plan, to establish such rules and regulations as it deems necessary for the proper administration of the Plan and to make such determinations and interpretations, and to take such action in connection with the Plan and any benefits granted hereunder as it deems necessary or advisable. Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrator shall have the sole discretion to (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in
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connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended, and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be made; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, settle any controversy regarding, correct any defect in and/or complete any omission in this Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, this Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Administrator shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of this Plan; (ix) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, Awards; (x) to reprice existing Awards or to grant Awards in connection with or in consideration of the cancellation of an outstanding Award with a higher price; and (xi) make any other determination and take any other action that the Administrator deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan. All determinations and interpretations made by the Administrator shall be binding and conclusive on all Participants and their legal representatives.
4.2. Delegation. The Board or a Committee may delegate its powers and authorities to one or more Committees or officers of the Company, provided, however, that no officer of the Company or any Subsidiary may be delegated authority to grant, amend, modify, make any administrative determination to, or cancel any Awards held by either (A) any person subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (B) an officer who has been delegated any authority under the Plan. All delegations shall be subject to terms and conditions determined by the Board or a Committee. Any delegation of authority under the Plan may be revoked at any time. Regardless of any delegation, the Board or a Committee may act as the Administrator at any time in accordance with Applicable Law.
4.3. Liability. Neither the Administrator nor any employee of the Company shall be liable for any act or failure to act hereunder, except in circumstances involving his or her bad faith, gross negligence, or willful misconduct, or for any act or failure to act hereunder by any other member or employee or by any agent to whom duties in connection with the administration of this Plan have been delegated. The Company shall indemnify members of the Administrator and any agent of the Administrator who is an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary, or an Affiliate against any and all liabilities or expenses to which they may be subjected by reason of any act or failure to act with respect to their duties on behalf of the Plan, except in circumstances involving such person’s bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct.
4.4. Administrative Delegation and Reliance. The Administrator may delegate to one or more of its members, or to one or more agents, such administrative duties as it may deem advisable, and the Administrator, or any person to whom it has delegated duties as aforesaid, may employ one or more persons to render advice with respect to any responsibility the Administrator or such person may have under the Plan. The Administrator may employ such legal or other counsel, consultants, and agents as it may deem desirable for the administration of the Plan and may rely upon any opinion or computation received from any such counsel, consultant, or agent.
5. Plan Limits
5.1. Number of Shares Available for Issuance. Subject to the provisions of Section 11, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan shall be the sum of (A) 2,218,500, plus (B) an increase commencing on January 1, 2027 and continuing annually on each anniversary thereof through and including January 1, 2036, equal to the lesser of (i) 3% of the Shares outstanding on the last day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (ii) such smaller number of Shares as determined by the Board or the Committee (the “Share Limit”). The Shares subject to the Plan may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired shares.
5.2. Share Recycling. Upon payment in Shares pursuant to the exercise or settlement of an Award, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be reduced only by the number of Shares actually issued in such payment. If a Participant pays the exercise price (or purchase price, if applicable) of an Award through the tender of Shares, or if the Shares are tendered or withheld to satisfy any tax
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withholding obligations, the number of Shares so tendered or withheld shall again be available for issuance pursuant to future Awards under the Plan, although such Shares shall not again become available for issuance as Incentive Stock Options. Shares shall not be deemed to have been issued pursuant to the Plan with respect to any portion of an Award that is settled in cash. If any outstanding Award expires or is terminated or canceled without having been exercised or settled in full, or if the Shares acquired pursuant to an Award subject to forfeiture or repurchase are forfeited or repurchased by the Company, the Shares allocable to the terminated portion of such Award or such forfeited or repurchased Shares shall again be available for grant under the Plan.
5.3. Incentive Stock Option Limit. No more than 5,000,000 Shares (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 11) may be issued under the Plan upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options.
5.4. Substitute Awards. Substitute Awards shall not be counted against the Share Limit; provided, however, that Substitute Awards issued in connection with the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding Options intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options shall be counted against the Incentive Stock Option limit in Section 5.3. Additionally, Shares subject to Substitute Awards shall not be added to the Shares available for Awards under the Plan pursuant to Section 5.2. If the Company or any Subsidiary acquires or combines with a company that has shares available under an equity plan approved by shareholders and in place prior to such acquisition or combination (and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination), the available shares under the acquired or combined entity’s plan (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the transaction) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not count against the Share Limit (and Shares subject to such Awards may again become available for Awards under the Plan as provided in Section 5.2). Awards made from the available shares of an acquired or combined entity’s plan shall not be made after the date awards or grants could not be under the terms of the acquired or combined entity’s plan prior to the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Service Providers prior to such acquisition or combination. Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms and conditions as the Administrator deems appropriate.
5.5. Non-Employee Director Award Limit. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan or in any policy of the Company regarding Non-Employee Director compensation, the sum of the grant date fair value (determined as of the grant date in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of all equity-based Awards and the maximum amount that may become payable pursuant to all cash-based Awards that may be granted to a Service Provider as compensation for services as a Non-Employee Director during any calendar year shall not exceed $1,000,000 for such Service Provider’s first year of service as a Non-Employee Director and $750,000 for each year thereafter.
6. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights
6.1. General. The Administrator, at any time and from time to time, may grant Options or Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan to Service Providers, provided, however, to the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A, a Service Provider may only be granted an Option or Stock Appreciation Right if the Company is an “eligible issuer of service recipient stock” within the meaning of Section 409A, with respect to such Service Provider. Each Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be subject to such terms and conditions consistent with the Plan as the Administrator may impose from time to time, subject to the limitations in this Section 6. Any Option or Stock Appreciation Rights granted hereunder will be exercisable according to the terms of the Plan and at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement. Exercising an Option or Stock Appreciation Right in any manner will decrease the number of Shares thereafter available for purchase under the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, by the number of Shares as to which the Option or Stock Appreciation Right is exercised.
6.2. Exercise Price. The per share exercise price for Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be determined by the Administrator; provided, however, that to avoid the imposition of taxes under Section 409A, the exercise price per Share shall be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant, subject to Section 5.4. In the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the exercise price for Shares subject
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to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant; provided that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Code Sections 424 and 409A.
6.3. Exercise Period. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Administrator; provided, however, that no Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable later than ten (10) years after the date it is granted. No portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at a Participant’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable and the portion of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at a Participant’s Termination of Service shall automatically expire on the date of such Termination of Service. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted to an Employee who is a non-exempt employee for purposes of overtime pay under the United States Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 shall not become exercisable earlier than six months after its date of grant. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall terminate at such earlier times and upon such conditions or circumstances as the Administrator shall in its discretion set forth in such Award Agreement at the date of grant; provided, however, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, later waive any such condition. If, prior an Option’s or Stock Appreciation Right’s exercise and prior to its termination, a Participant commits an act of Cause (to be determined by the Administrator), or violates a Restrictive Covenant, the Administrator may terminate the Participant’s right to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right when it reasonably believes that the Participant may have participated in such act or violation.
6.4. Exercise. Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised by delivering to the Company (or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator) a notice of exercise, in a form and manner the Company approves, which may be written or electronic, signed or authenticated by the person authorized to exercise the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, together with, as applicable, (a) payment in full of the exercise price for the number of Shares for which the Option is exercised in a manner consistent with Section 6.5 and (b) satisfaction in full of any withholding obligations for Tax Obligations in a manner specified in Section 12.5. The Administrator may, in its discretion, require that any partial exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right be with respect to a minimum number of Shares.
6.5. Payment Upon Exercise. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Participant may pay the Option exercise price by cash, wire transfer, or check and, if approved by the Administrator, as determined in its sole discretion, by the following methods:
6.5.1. surrender of other Shares that meet the conditions established by the Administrator to avoid adverse accounting consequences to the Company (as determined by the Administrator);
6.5.2. by a broker-assisted cashless exercise in accordance with procedures approved by the Administrator, whereby payment of the exercise price may be satisfied, in whole or in part, with Shares subject to the Option by delivery of an irrevocable direction to a securities broker (on a form prescribed by the Administrator) to sell Shares and to deliver all or part of the sale proceeds to the Company in payment of the aggregate exercise price;
6.5.3. for a Nonqualified Option, by delivery of a notice of “net exercise” to the Company, pursuant to which the Participant shall surrender Shares then issuable upon the Nonqualified Option’s exercise valued at their Fair Market Value on the exercise date;
6.5.4. such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Law;
6.5.5. any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.
6.6. Incentive Stock Options.
6.6.1. Each Option will be designated in the Award Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Option. However, notwithstanding such designation, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company, its Parent,
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or any Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000 (or such other limit established in the Code), such Options will be treated as Nonqualified Options. For purposes of this Section 6.6.1, Incentive Stock Options will be taken into account in the order in which they were granted. The Fair Market Value of the Shares will be determined as of the time the Option is granted.
6.6.2. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the exercise price will be determined by the Administrator, but shall be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant. The term of any Incentive Stock Option will be ten (10) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement. Moreover, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Greater Than 10% Shareholder, the term of the Incentive Stock Option will be five (5) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement and the exercise price shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.
6.6.3. No Option shall be treated as an Incentive Stock Option unless this Plan has been approved by the shareholders of the Company in a manner intended to comply with the shareholder approval requirements of Code Section 422(b)(1), provided that any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not fail to be effective solely on account of a failure to obtain such approval, but rather such Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Option unless and until such approval is obtained.
6.6.4. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the terms and conditions of such grant shall be subject to and comply with such rules as may be prescribed by Code Section 422. If for any reason an Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option (or any portion thereof) shall not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option or portion thereof shall be regarded as a Nonqualified Option appropriately granted under this Plan.
6.6.5. By accepting an Incentive Stock Option, the Participant agrees to give prompt notice to the Company of dispositions or other transfers (other than in connection with a Change in Control) of Shares acquired under the Option made within the later of (a) two years from the grant date of the Option or (b) one year after the transfer of such Shares to the Participant, specifying the date of the disposition or other transfer and the amount the Participant realized, in cash, other property, or other consideration, in such disposition or transfer. Neither the Company nor the Administrator will be liable to a Participant, or any other party, if an Incentive Stock Option fails or ceases to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Code Section 422. Any Incentive Stock Option or portion thereof that fails to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Code Section 422 for any reason, will be a Nonqualified Option.
7. Restricted Stock
7.1. Generally. The Administrator, at any time and from time to time, may grant Restricted Stock to Service Providers in such amounts as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine, subject to the limitations of this Section 7. Each Award of Restricted Stock will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the Period of Restriction and the applicable restrictions, the number of Shares granted, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. Restricted Stock may be awarded in consideration for (i) cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company, (ii) past service, or (iii) any other form of legal consideration (including future Service) that may be acceptable to the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and permissible under Applicable Laws.
7.2. Restrictions; Voting Rights; Transferability. Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, Restricted Stock will be held by the Company as escrow agent until the restrictions on such Restricted Stock have lapsed. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the time at which any restrictions will lapse or be removed. During the Period of Restriction, a Participant holding Restricted Stock may exercise the voting rights applicable to those restricted Shares, unless the Administrator determines otherwise. Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction.
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7.3. Dividends and Other Distributions. Except as provided in the Award Agreement, during the Period of Restriction, a Participant holding Restricted Stock will be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such Restricted Stock. If any such dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, such Shares will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid.
7.4. Return of Restricted Stock to the Company. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock for which restrictions have not lapsed will be forfeited and will revert to the Company and again will become available for grant under the Plan.
7.5. Section 83(b) Election. If a Participant makes an election under Code Section 83(b) to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Stock as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Stock rather than as of the date or dates upon which such Participant would otherwise be taxable under Code Section 83(a), such Participant shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service along with proof of the timely filing thereof.
8. Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
8.1. Generally. The Administrator, at any time and from time to time, may grant RSUs under the Plan to Service Providers. Each RSU shall be subject to such terms and conditions as are consistent with the Plan and as the Administrator may impose from time to time, subject to this Section 8. Each Award of RSUs will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the terms, conditions, and restrictions related to the grant, including the number of RSUs and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. A Participant holding RSUs will have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company until delivery of Shares, cash, other securities, other property, or a combination of the foregoing.
8.2. Vesting and Other Terms. The Administrator will set vesting criteria in its discretion, which, depending on the extent to which the criteria are met, will determine the number of RSUs that will be paid out to the Participant. Upon meeting the applicable vesting criteria, the Participant will be entitled to receive a payout as determined by the Administrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time after the grant of RSUs, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any vesting criteria that must be met to receive a payout.
8.3. Form and Timing of Payment. Payment of earned RSUs will be made as soon as practicable after the date(s) determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may settle earned RSUs in Shares, cash, other securities, other property, or a combination of the foregoing. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering Shares, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the fair market value of the Shares as of the date on which the restricted period lapsed with respect to such RSUs, less an amount equal to any taxes required to be withheld or paid. The Administrator may provide that RSUs will be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the Participant’s election, subject to compliance with Applicable Law.
8.4. Voting. The holders of RSUs shall have no voting rights as the Company’s shareholders.
9. Performance Awards
9.1. Generally. The Administrator shall have the authority to designate any Award described in Sections 6 through 8 of the Plan as a Performance Award. Additionally, the Administrator shall have the authority to make an award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Award.
9.2. Discretion of Administrator. The Administrator shall have the discretion to establish the terms, conditions, and restrictions of any Performance Award. For each performance period, the Administrator shall have the sole authority to select the length of such performance period, the types of Performance Awards to be granted, the performance criteria that will be used to establish the performance goals, and the level(s) of performance which shall result in a Performance Award being earned.
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9.3. Performance Criteria. The Administrator may establish performance-based conditions for an Award as specified in the Award Agreement, which may be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more Subsidiaries, divisions, business segments or operational units, or any combination of the foregoing) and may include, without limitation, any of the following: (i) net earnings or net income (before or after taxes); (ii) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (iii) revenue or revenue growth (measured on a net or gross basis); (iv) gross profit or gross profit growth; (v) operating profit (before or after taxes); (vi) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, invested capital, equity, or sales); (vii) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, net cash provided by operations and cash flow return on capital); (viii) financing and other capital raising transactions (including, but not limited to, sales of the Company’s equity or debt securities); (ix) earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation and/or amortization; (x) gross or operating margins; (xi) productivity ratios; (xii) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return); (xiii) expense targets; (xiv) margins; (xv) productivity and operating efficiencies; (xvi) customer satisfaction; (xvii) customer growth; (xviii) working capital targets; (xix) measures of economic value added; (xx) inventory control; (xxi) enterprise value; (xxii) sales; (xxiii) debt levels and net debt; (xxiv) combined ratio; (xxv) timely launch of new facilities; (xxvi) client retention; (xxvii) employee retention; (xxviii) timely completion of new product rollouts; (xxix) cost targets; (xxx) reductions and savings; (xxxi) productivity and efficiencies; (xxxii) strategic partnerships or transactions; and (xxxiii) personal targets, goals or completion of projects. Any one or more of the performance criteria may be used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of the Company and/or one or more Subsidiaries as a whole or any business unit(s) of the Company and/or one or more Subsidiaries or any combination thereof, as the Administrator may deem appropriate, or any of the above performance criteria may be compared to the performance of a selected group of comparison or peer companies, or a published or special index that the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices. The Administrator also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of performance criteria specified in this paragraph. Any performance criteria that are financial metrics, may be determined in accordance with GAAP or may be adjusted when established to include or exclude any items otherwise includable or excludable under GAAP.
9.4. Modification of Performance Goals. At any time, the Administrator may adjust or modify the calculation of a performance goal for a performance period, to appropriately reflect any circumstance or event that occurs during a performance period and that in the Administrator’s sole discretion, warrants adjustment or modification. Adjustments the Administrator may make include but are not limited to the following: (i) asset write-downs; (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (iii) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results; (iv) any reorganization and restructuring programs; (v) unusual and/or infrequently occurring items; (vi) acquisitions or divestitures; (vii) discontinued operations; (viii) any other specific unusual or infrequently occurring or non-recurring events, or objectively determinable category thereof; (ix) foreign exchange gains and losses; and (x) a change in the Company’s fiscal year.
9.5. Terms and Conditions to Payment. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a performance period to be eligible to vest and receive Shares, cash, or other consideration in respect of a Performance Award for such performance period. A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Award only to the extent that the performance goals for such period are achieved and any other vesting conditions specified in the Participant’s Award Agreement are satisfied. Following the completion of a performance period, the Administrator shall determine whether, and to what extent, the performance goals for the performance period have been achieved and determine the number of Shares, cash or other consideration that will be settled pursuant to Performance Awards.
9.6. Timing of Award Payments. Except as provided in an Award agreement, Performance Awards granted for a performance period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following the Administrator’s determination in accordance with Section 9.5.
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10. Other Awards
10.1. General. The Administrator may grant Dividend Equivalents or Other Stock or Cash Based Awards, to one or more Service Providers, in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as are consistent with the Plan.
10.2. Dividend Equivalents. The Administrator may provide that any Award, other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, may provide a Participant with the right to receive Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be paid currently or credited to an account for the Participant, settled in cash or Shares and subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Award with respect to which the Dividend Equivalents are granted. The payment of Dividend Equivalents shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement and shall in all cases be subject to Applicable Law.
10.3. Other Stock or Cash Based Awards. Other Stock-Based Awards may be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with, other Awards granted under the Plan and/or cash awards made outside of the Plan. The Administrator shall have authority to determine the Service Providers to whom and the time or times at which Other Stock-Based Awards shall be made, the amount of such Other Stock-Based Awards, and all other conditions of the Other Stock-Based Awards including any dividend and/or voting rights. The Administrator may grant Cash Awards in such amounts and subject to such performance or other vesting criteria and terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine. Cash Awards shall be evidenced in such form as the Administrator may determine.
11. Adjustments; Change in Control
11.1. Adjustments. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, share split, reverse share split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares occurs such that an adjustment is determined by the Administrator (in its sole discretion) to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Administrator shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust (i) the number and class of Shares which may be delivered under the Plan (or number and kind of other securities or other property); (ii) the number, class and price (including the exercise or strike price of Options and SARs) of Shares subject to outstanding Awards, (iii) any applicable performance criteria, performance period, and other terms and conditions of outstanding Performance Awards, and (iv) the numerical limits in Section 5. Notwithstanding the preceding, the number of Shares subject to any Award always shall be a whole number.
11.2. Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Administrator will notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. The Administrator in its discretion may provide for a Participant to have the right to exercise an Award, to the extent applicable, until ten (10) days prior to such transaction as to all of the Shares covered thereby, including Shares as to which the Award would not be vested or otherwise be exercisable. In addition, the Administrator may provide that any Company repurchase option or forfeiture rights applicable to any Award shall lapse one hundred percent (100%), and that any Award vesting shall accelerate one hundred percent (100%), provided the proposed dissolution or liquidation takes place at the time and in the manner contemplated. To the extent it has not been previously vested and, if applicable, exercised, an Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action.
11.3. Change in Control. In the event of a Change in Control, any outstanding Award shall be treated in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement. If the applicable Award Agreement does not specify the treatment of the Award in a Change in Control, the Award shall be treated as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, and the Administrator shall not be obligated to treat all outstanding Awards similarly.
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12. Provisions Applicable to Awards
12.1. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares will not be issued pursuant to an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares will comply with Applicable Law and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. As a condition to the exercise or receipt of an Award, the Company may require the person exercising or receiving such Award to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise or receipt that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required or desirable.
12.2. Transferability. No Award may be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Each Participant may file with the Administrator a written designation of one or more persons as the beneficiary(ies) who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under this Plan upon his or her death. A Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change his or her beneficiary designation without the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation with the Administrator. The last such designation filed with the Administrator shall be controlling; provided, however, that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Administrator prior to the Participant’s death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior to such receipt. If no beneficiary designation is filed by a Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death, his or her estate. Upon the occurrence of a Participant’s divorce (as evidenced by a final order or decree of divorce), any spousal designation previously given by such Participant shall automatically terminate.
12.3. Documentation. All Awards made under the Plan shall be made pursuant to an Award Agreement. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, determine the terms and conditions set forth in each Award Agreement, provided that all such terms and conditions are consistent with the Plan.
12.4. Discretion. All Awards made pursuant to the Plan may be made alone or in addition to or in conjunction with any other Award. The terms of each Award are not required to be identical, and the Administrator does not have to treat Participants or Awards uniformly.
12.5. Withholding. A Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate, or the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold, from any cash, Shares, other securities or other property deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, Shares, other securities or other property) of any required withholding taxes, including any Tax Obligations, in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under this Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Administrator or the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding and taxes. In addition, the Administrator, in its discretion, may make arrangements mutually agreeable with a Participant who is not an employee of the Company or an Affiliate to facilitate the payment of applicable income and self-employment taxes. Without limitation, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by (A) the delivery of Shares (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) owned by the Participant having a fair market value equal to such withholding liability, (B) having the Company withhold from the number of Shares otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of shares with a fair market value equal to such withholding liability, (C) deducting an amount sufficient to satisfy such withholding obligation from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant, (D) accepting a payment from the Participant in cash, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, or by check made payable to the order of the Company, or (E) if there is a public market for Shares at the time the withholding obligation for Tax Obligations is to be satisfied, selling Shares issued pursuant to the Award creating the withholding obligation. The amount withheld pursuant to any of the foregoing payment forms shall be determined by the Company and may be up to (but not in excess of) the aggregate amount of such obligations based on the maximum statutory withholding rates in the Participant’s jurisdiction for all Tax Obligations that are applicable to such taxable income.
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12.6. Award Modification; Repricing. The Administrator may at any time, and from time to time, amend the terms of any one or more Awards without the consent of any Participant; provided, however, that the Administrator may not make any amendment which would otherwise constitute an impairment of the material rights under any Award unless the Participant consents to such impairment in writing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4 and except for an adjustment pursuant to Section 11 or a repricing approved by shareholders, in no case may the Administrator (i) amend an outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce the exercise price of the Award, (ii) cancel, exchange, or surrender an outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or other awards for the purpose of repricing the Award, or (iii) cancel, exchange, or surrender an outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for an Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Award.
12.7. Acceleration. The Administrator may at any time provide that any Award will become immediately vested and fully or partially exercisable, free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise fully or partially realizable, in each case, subject to Applicable Law.
12.8. Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan. The Administrator shall determine whether cash, additional Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether any fractional Shares should be rounded, forfeited, or otherwise eliminated.
13. Section 409A
13.1. General. The Plan is intended to comply with Section 409A to the extent subject thereto, and shall be interpreted and administered to be in compliance therewith. Any payments described in the Plan that are due within the “short-term deferral period” (as defined in Section 409A) shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless Applicable Law requires otherwise. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, the Administrator may, without a Participant’s consent, amend this Plan or any Award, adopt policies and procedures, make corrective filings, or take any other actions (including amendments and retroactive actions) as are necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of Awards, including exempting the Plan and Awards from Section 409A or complying with 409A.
13.2. Payments to Specified Employees. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, any payment or settlement made pursuant to an Award to a “specified employee” (as defined by Section 409A and as determined by the Administrator) due to such Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined by Section 409A) will, to the extent necessary to avoid adverse tax consequences to the Participant, be delayed for the six-month period immediately following such “separation from service (or, if earlier, on the “specified employee’s” death) and will instead be paid on the day immediately following such six-month period or as soon as practicable thereafter. Any delayed payment under this Section 13.2 shall not accrue interest during the delay. All payments of “nonqualified deferred compensation” (as defined by Section 409A) that are scheduled to be paid more than six months following a “specified employee’s” termination, shall be made on their regular schedule.
13.3. Change in Control. If any Award is or becomes subject to Code Section 409A and if payment of such Award would be accelerated or otherwise triggered under a Change in Control, then the definition of Change in Control shall be deemed modified, only to the extent necessary to avoid the imposition of an excise tax under Code Section 409A, to mean a “change in control event” as such term is defined for purposes of Code Section 409A.
14. Amendment of the Plan
The Board may at any time amend, alter, suspend, or terminate the Plan. The Company may obtain shareholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary or, as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, desirable to comply with Applicable Law, including any amendment that (i) increases the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan or (ii) changes the persons or class of persons eligible to receive Awards. No amendment, alteration, suspension, or termination of the Plan will materially impair the rights of any Participant with respect to outstanding Awards, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Participant and the
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Administrator, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company. Termination of the Plan will not affect the Administrator’s ability to exercise the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Awards granted under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.
15. Foreign Participants
The Administrator may from time to time establish sub-plans under the Plan for purposes of satisfying securities, tax, or other laws of various jurisdictions in which the Company intends to grant Awards. Any sub-plans shall contain such limitations and other terms and conditions as the Administrator determines are necessary or desirable. All sub-plans shall be deemed a part of the Plan, but each sub-plan shall apply only to the Participants in the jurisdiction for which the sub-plan was designed.
16. Clawbacks
Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Plan, the Administrator may cancel any Award, require reimbursement of any Award, and effect any other right of recoupment of equity or other compensation provided under the Plan in accordance with Company policies, including the Company’s Clawback Policies. A Participant may be required to repay to the Company previously paid compensation, whether provided pursuant to the Plan or an Award Agreement, in accordance with the Clawback Policies. By accepting an Award, the Participant agrees to be bound by the Clawback Policies and to adhere to the Clawback Policies to the extent required by Applicable Law.
17. No Right to Continued Service
Nothing in the Plan or any instrument executed or Award granted pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Award was granted or shall affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) a Participant’s employment with or without notice and with or without Cause, or (ii) a Participant’s service as a Consultant or Director.
18. No Rights as a Shareholder
Except as provided in the Plan or an Award Agreement, no Participant shall be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any Shares subject to such Award unless and until such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of the Award pursuant to its terms and no adjustment shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash, securities, or other property) or distributions of other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such Share certificates are issued, except as provided in Section 11.
19. Miscellaneous
19.1. Limitations on Liability. Neither the Company, nor its Parent, nor any Subsidiary, nor any person serving as Administrator shall have any liability to a Participant in the event an Award held by the Participant fails to achieve its intended characterization under the tax, securities, or other applicable laws and regulations.
19.2. Inability to Obtain Authority. 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, will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority will not have been obtained.
19.3. Severability. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement, if any one or more of the provisions (or any part thereof) of this Plan or an Award Agreement shall be held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such provision shall be modified so as to make it valid, legal, and enforceable, and the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions (or any part thereof) of the Plan or Award Agreement, as applicable, shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
19.4. Governing Documents. The Plan and each Award Agreement evidencing an Award are intended to be read together, and together, set forth the complete terms and conditions of each Award. To the extent of any contradiction between the Plan and any Award Agreement or other written agreement between
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a Participant and the Company, the Plan will govern unless the Award Agreement or other written agreement was approved by the Administrator and expressly provides that a specific provision of the Plan will not apply.
19.5. Governing Law. The Plan will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without reference to any choice of law principles.
19.6. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTICIPANT WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION BASED ON, ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE PLAN.
19.7. Waiver of Claims. Each Participant of an Award recognizes and agrees that before being selected by the Administrator to receive an Award, the Participant has no right to any benefits under the Plan. Accordingly, in consideration of the Participant’s receipt of any Award hereunder, the Participant expressly waives any right to contest the amount of any Award, the terms of any Award Agreement, any determination, action, or omission hereunder or under any Award Agreement by the Administrator, the Company, or the Board, or any amendment to the Plan or any Award Agreement (other than an amendment to the Plan or an Award Agreement to which his or her consent is expressly required). Nothing contained in this Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, will create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Participant. The Plan is not intended to be subject to ERISA.
19.8. No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as expressly provided in an Award Agreement, neither the Plan nor any Award Agreement will confer on any person other than the Company and the Participant of any Award any rights or remedies thereunder. The provisions of Section 4.3 will inure to the benefit of the estate, beneficiaries, and legatees of any member of the Administrator and the Board, and any person to whom the Administrator or the Board delegates its powers, responsibilities, or duties in writing.
19.9. Data Privacy. As a condition for receiving any Award, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use, and transfer, in any form, of personal data as described in this section by and among the Company and its Subsidiaries, Affiliates, and their agents exclusively for implementing, administering, and managing the Participant’s participation in the Plan. The Company, its Subsidiaries, and Affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant, including the Participant’s name, address, telephone number, birthday, social security or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title(s), any Shares held in the Company, its Subsidiaries, and Affiliates, and Award details to implement, manage, and administer the Plan and Awards (the “Data”). The Company, its Subsidiaries, and Affiliates may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary to implement, administer, and manage a Participant’s participation in the Plan, and the Company, its Subsidiaries, and Affiliates may transfer the Data to third parties assisting the Company with Plan implementation, administration, and management. These third-party recipients may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and the applicable location may be subject to different data privacy laws than the Participant’s home country. By accepting an Award, each Participant authorizes each recipient to receive, possess, use, retain, and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, to implement, administer, and manage the Participant’s participation in the Plan, including any required Data transfer to a broker or other thirty party with whom the Company or the Participant may elect to deposit any Shares. The Data related to a Participant will be held only as long as necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Participant’s participation in the Plan. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data that the Company holds regarding such Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data regarding such Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data regarding the Participant, or refuse or withdraw the consents in this section in writing, without cost, by contacting the local human resources representative. The Company may cancel the Participant’s ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Administrator’s discretion, the Participant may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents in this section.
19.10. Titles and Headings. The titles and headings in the Plan are for purposes of convenience only and are not intended to define or limit the construction of the provisions hereof.
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19.11. Intended to Comply with Applicable Law. The Plan and all Awards granted hereunder are intended to fully comply with Applicable Law. All administrative actions, determinations, and exercises of discretion by the Administrator shall comply with Applicable Law.
19.12. Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare, or other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or agreement thereunder.
20. Shareholder Approval
The Plan will be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted. Such shareholder approval will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Law. All Awards hereunder are contingent on approval of the Plan by the Company’s shareholders. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, if the Plan is not approved by the Company’s shareholders within twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted, the Plan and any Awards hereunder shall be automatically terminated.
21. Effective Date
The Plan was adopted by the Board on April 23, 2026, and shall become effective on the date that it is approved by the Company’s stockholders (the “Effective Date”).
Unless terminated earlier under Section 14, this Plan shall terminate on ________ ___, 2036, ten (10) years after the Effective Date.
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COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED)
|
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES |
[SECOND / THIRD] AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
TEXXON HOLDING LIMITED
(adopted pursuant to special resolutions of the Company passed on ____ and effective on ____)
COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED)
|
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES |
[SECOND / THIRD] AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
TEXXON HOLDING LIMITED
(adopted pursuant to a special resolution of the Company passed on ____ and effective on ____)
1. The name of the Company is Texxon Holding Limited.
2. The registered office of the Company is at Osiris International Cayman Limited, Suite #4-210, Governors Square, 23 Lime Tree Bay Avenue, KY1-1209, Cayman Islands or at such other place in the Cayman Islands as the Directors may from time to time determine.
3. The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by law as provided by Section 7(4) of the Companies Act.
4. The Company shall have and be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity irrespective of any question of corporate benefit as provided by Section 27(2) of the Companies Act.
5. Nothing in the preceding paragraphs shall be deemed to permit the Company to carry on the business of a bank or trust company without being licensed in that behalf under the provisions of the Banks and Trust Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands or to carry on insurance business from within the Cayman Islands or the business of an insurance manager, agent, sub-agent or broker without being licensed in that behalf under the provisions of the Insurance Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands, or to carry on the business of company management without being licensed in that behalf under the provisions of the Companies Management Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands.
6. The Company will not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or corporation except in furtherance of the business of the Company carried on outside the Cayman Islands, provided that nothing in this Memorandum of Association shall be construed as to prevent the Company from effecting and concluding contracts in the Cayman Islands, and exercising in the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of business outside the Cayman Islands.
7. The liability of each member is limited to the amount from time to time unpaid on such member’s shares.
8. The authorised share capital of the Company is US$50,000 divided into 450,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$___ each and 50,000,000 preference shares of US$0.0001 par value each of such class or series (howsoever designated) as the Directors may determine in accordance with the Articles. Insofar as is permitted by law and the Articles, the Company shall have the power to redeem, purchase or redesignate any of its shares and to increase or reduce the said share capital subject to the Companies Act and the Articles and to issue any part of its capital, whether original, redeemed or increased with or without any preference, priority or special privilege or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly declare every issue of shares whether declared to be preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers hereinbefore contained.
9. The Company may exercise the power contained in Section 206 of the Companies Act to deregister in the Cayman Islands and be registered by way of continuation in another jurisdiction.
10. Capitalised terms that are not defined in this Memorandum bear the meanings given to those terms in the Articles.
COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED)
|
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES |
[SECOND / THIRD] AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
TEXXON HOLDING LIMITED
(adopted pursuant to special resolutions of the Company passed on ____ and effective on ____)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
ARTICLE |
Annex B |
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|
TABLE A |
B-1 |
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|
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION |
B-1 |
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COMMENCEMENT OF BUSINESS |
B-3 |
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SITUATION OF REGISTERED OFFICE |
B-4 |
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|
SHARES |
B-4 |
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|
REDEMPTION, PURCHASE AND SURRENDER OF SHARES |
B-6 |
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TREASURY SHARES |
B-6 |
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MODIFICATION OF RIGHTS |
B-6 |
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SHARE CERTIFICATES |
B-7 |
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TRANSFER AND TRANSMISSION OF SHARES |
B-7 |
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LIEN |
B-9 |
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CALL ON SHARES |
B-9 |
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FORFEITURE OF SHARES |
B-10 |
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ALTERATION OF SHARE CAPITAL |
B-10 |
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GENERAL MEETINGS |
B-11 |
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NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS |
B-11 |
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PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS |
B-12 |
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VOTES OF SHAREHOLDERS |
B-13 |
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PROXIES |
B-13 |
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DIRECTORS |
B-15 |
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TRANSACTIONS WITH DIRECTORS |
B-16 |
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POWERS OF DIRECTORS |
B-17 |
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MANAGEMENT |
B-18 |
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MANAGING DIRECTOR |
B-18 |
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PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS |
B-18 |
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WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS OF DIRECTORS |
B-19 |
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PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT |
B-19 |
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BORROWING POWERS |
B-19 |
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SECRETARY |
B-20 |
|
|
THE SEAL |
B-20 |
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|
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESERVES |
B-20 |
|
|
SHARE PREMIUM ACCOUNT |
B-21 |
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CAPITALISATION |
B-21 |
|
|
BOOKS OF ACCOUNT |
B-22 |
|
|
AUDIT |
B-22 |
|
|
NOTICES |
B-22 |
|
|
WINDING UP AND FINAL DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS |
B-23 |
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|
INDEMNITY |
B-24 |
|
|
DISCLOSURE |
B-24 |
|
|
CLOSING REGISTER OF MEMBERS OR FIXING RECORD DATE |
B-25 |
|
|
REGISTRATION BY WAY OF CONTINUATION |
B-25 |
|
|
FINANCIAL YEAR |
B-25 |
|
|
AMENDMENTS TO MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION |
B-25 |
|
|
CAYMAN ISLANDS DATA PROTECTION |
B-25 |
Annex B-i
COMPANIES ACT (AS AMENDED)
|
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES |
[SECOND / THIRD] AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
TEXXON HOLDING LIMITED
(adopted pursuant to special resolutions of the Company passed on ____ and effective on ____)
TABLE A
1. In these Articles, the regulations contained in Table A in the First Schedule to the Companies Act (as defined below) do not apply except insofar as they are repeated or contained in these Articles.
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
2. In these Articles, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings set out below save where the context otherwise requires:
|
Articles |
these Articles of Association of the Company, as amended from time to time by Special Resolution; |
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|
Auditors |
the auditor or auditors for the time being of the Company; |
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Board of Directors or Board |
the Directors assembled as a board or assembled as a committee appointed by that board; |
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Chairperson |
means the chairperson of the Board of Directors for the time being; |
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|
Class |
means any class of Shares as may from time to time be issued by the Company; |
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Commission |
means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States or any other federal agency for the time being administering the Securities Act; |
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Communication Facilities |
means video, video-conferencing, internet or online conferencing applications, telephone or tele-conferencing and/or any other video-communications, internet or online conferencing application or telecommunications facilities by means of which all persons participating in a meeting are capable of hearing and being heard by each other; |
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Companies Act |
the Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands; |
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|
Company |
the above-named company; |
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Company’s Website |
means the main corporate/investor relations website of the Company, the address or domain name of which has been disclosed in any registration statement filed by the Company with the Commission in connection with its initial public offering, or which has otherwise been notified to Shareholders; |
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|
debenture |
means debenture stock, mortgages, bonds and any other such securities of the Company whether constituting a charge on the assets of the Company or not; |
Annex B-1
|
Deputy Chairperson |
means the deputy chairperson of the Board of Directors for the time being; |
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Designated Stock Exchange |
means any stock exchange in the United States on which any Shares or other securities of the Company are listed for the time being; |
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|
Designated Stock Exchange Rules |
means the relevant code, rules and regulations, as amended, from time to time, applicable as a result of the listing of any Shares or other securities of the Company on the Designated Stock Exchange; |
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|
Directors |
the directors of the Company for the time being; |
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Electronic Record |
has the same meaning as in the Electronic Transactions Act; |
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|
Electronic Transactions Act |
the Electronic Transactions Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands; |
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Independent Director |
has the meaning given in the Designated Stock Exchange Rules; |
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|
Memorandum |
the Memorandum of Association of the Company, as amended and restated from time to time by Special Resolution; |
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|
Ordinary Resolution |
a resolution passed by a simple majority of the votes of such Shareholders as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy, at a general meeting; |
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|
Ordinary Share |
means an ordinary share of a par value of US$____ in the capital of the Company and having the rights provided for in these Articles; |
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|
paid up |
paid up as to the par value and any premium payable in respect of the issue of any Shares and includes credited as paid up; |
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|
person |
any natural person, firm, company, joint venture, partnership, corporation, association or other entity (whether or not having separate legal personality) or any of them as the context so requires; |
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|
Register of Members |
the register of Shareholders to be kept pursuant to these Articles; |
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|
Registered Office |
the registered office of the Company for the time being; |
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|
Seal |
the common seal of the Company including any duplicate seal; |
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|
Secretary |
any person appointed by the Directors to perform any of the duties of the secretary of the Company, including a joint, assistant or deputy secretary; |
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|
Securities Act |
means the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States, as amended, or any similar federal statute and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time; |
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|
Share |
a share in the capital of the Company of any class or series including a fraction of such share; |
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|
Shareholder |
any person registered in the Register of Members as a holder of one or more Shares; |
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|
Share Premium Account |
the share premium account established in accordance with these Articles and the Companies Act; |
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|
signed |
includes an electronic signature and a signature or representation of a signature affixed by mechanical means; |
Annex B-2
|
Special Resolution |
has the same meaning as in the Companies Act, except that a resolution in writing as contemplated by section 60(1)(b) of the Companies Act shall not be permitted; |
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|
Treasury Shares |
Shares that were previously issued but were purchased, redeemed, surrendered or otherwise acquired by the Company and not cancelled; |
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|
United States |
means the United States of America, its territories, its possessions and all areas subject to its jurisdiction; and |
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|
Virtual Meeting |
means any general meeting of the Shareholders (or any meeting of the holders of any class or series of Shares) at which the Shareholders (and any other permitted participants of such meeting, including without limitation the chairperson of the meeting and any Directors) are permitted to attend and participate solely by means of Communication Facilities. |
3. In these Articles, unless there be something in the subject or context inconsistent with such construction:
(a) words importing the singular number shall include the plural number and vice versa;
(b) words importing a gender shall include other genders;
(c) words importing persons only shall include companies, partnerships, trusts or associations or bodies of persons, whether corporate or not;
(d) the word “may” shall be construed as permissive and the word “shall” shall be construed as imperative;
(e) the word “year” shall mean calendar year, the word “quarter” shall mean calendar quarter and the word “month” shall mean calendar month;
(f) a reference to a “dollar” or “$” is a reference to the legal currency of the United States;
(g) a reference to any enactment includes a reference to any modification or re-enactment thereof for the time being in force;
(h) a reference to any meeting (whether of the Directors, a committee appointed by the Board of Directors or the Shareholders or any class or series of Shareholders) includes any adjournment of that meeting;
(i) the term “clear days”, in relation to a period of notice, means the period excluding the day when the notice is received or deemed to be received and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect;
(j) Sections 8 and 19 of the Electronic Transactions Act shall not apply; and
(k) a reference to “written” or “in writing” includes a reference to all modes of representing or reproducing words in visible form, including in the form of an Electronic Record.
4. Subject to the two preceding Articles, any words defined in the Companies Act shall, if not inconsistent with the subject or context, bear the same meaning in these Articles.
5. The table of contents to, and the headings in, these Articles are for convenience of reference only and are to be ignored in construing these Articles.
COMMENCEMENT OF BUSINESS
6. The business of the Company may be commenced as soon after incorporation as the Board of Directors shall see fit.
Annex B-3
SITUATION OF REGISTERED OFFICE
7. The Registered Office shall be at such address in the Cayman Islands as the Directors shall from time to time determine. The Company, in addition to the Registered Office, may establish and maintain such other offices and places of business and agencies in such places as the Directors may from time to time determine.
SHARES
8. The Directors may impose such restrictions as they think necessary on the offer and sale of any Shares.
9. Subject to these Articles, all Shares for the time being unissued shall be under the control of the Directors who may, in their absolute discretion and without the approval of the Shareholders, cause the Company to:
(a) issue, allot and dispose of Shares (including, without limitation, preference shares) (whether in certificated form or non-certificated form) to such persons, in such manner, on such terms and having such rights and being subject to such restrictions as they may from time to time determine;
(b) grant rights over Shares or other securities to be issued in one or more classes or series as they deem necessary or appropriate and determine the designations, powers, preferences, privileges and other rights attaching to such Shares or securities, including dividend rights, voting rights, conversion rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the powers, preferences, privileges and rights associated with the then issued and outstanding Shares, at such times and on such other terms as they think proper; and
(c) grant options with respect to Shares and issue warrants or similar instruments with respect thereto.
10. The Directors may authorise the division of Shares into any number of classes and the different classes shall be authorised, established and designated (or re-designated as the case may be) and the variations in the relative rights (including, without limitation, voting, dividend and redemption rights), restrictions, preferences, privileges and payment obligations as between the different classes (if any) may be fixed and determined by the Directors. The Directors may issue Shares with such preferred or other rights, all or any of which may be greater than the rights of Ordinary Shares, at such time and on such terms as they may think appropriate. The Directors may issue from time to time, out of the authorised share capital of the Company (other than the authorised but unissued Ordinary Shares), create series of preference shares in their absolute discretion and without approval of the Shareholders; provided, however, before any preference shares of any such series are issued, the Directors shall by resolution of Directors determine, with respect to any series of preference shares, the terms and rights of that series, including:
(a) the designation of such series, the number of preference shares to constitute such series and the subscription price thereof if different from the par value thereof;
(b) whether the preference shares of such series shall have voting rights and, if so, the terms of such voting rights, which may be general or limited;
(c) the dividends, if any, payable on such series, whether any such dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from what dates, the conditions and dates upon which such dividends shall be payable, and the preference or relation which such dividends shall bear to the dividends payable on any shares of any other class of Shares or any other series of preference shares;
(d) whether the preference shares of such series shall be subject to redemption by the Company, and, if so, the times, prices and other conditions of such redemption;
(e) whether the preference shares of such series shall have any rights to receive any part of the assets available for distribution amongst the Shareholders upon the liquidation of the Company, and, if so, the terms of such liquidation preference, and the relation which such liquidation preference shall bear to the entitlements of the holders of Shares of any other class or preference shares of any other series of Shares;
Annex B-4
(f) whether the preference shares of such series shall be subject to the operation of a retirement or sinking fund and, if so, the extent to and manner in which any such retirement or sinking fund shall be applied to the purchase or redemption of the preference shares of such series for retirement or other corporate purposes and the terms and provisions relative to the operation thereof;
(g) whether the preference shares of such series shall be convertible into, or exchangeable or, shares of any other class of Shares or any other series of preference shares or any other securities and, if so, the price or prices or the rate or rates of conversion or exchange and the method, if any, of adjusting the same, and any other terms and conditions of conversion or exchange;
(h) the limitations and restrictions, if any, to be effective while any preference shares of such series are outstanding upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and upon the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Company of, the existing shares or shares of any other class of Shares or any other series of preference shares;
(i) the conditions or restrictions, if any, upon the creation of indebtedness of the Company or upon the issue of any additional Shares, including additional preference shares of such series or of any other class of Shares or any other series of preference shares; and
(j) any other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, and, for such purposes, the Directors may reserve an appropriate number of Shares for the time being unissued.
11. The Directors may in their absolute discretion refuse to accept any application for Shares and may accept any application in whole or in part.
12. The Company may on any issue of Shares deduct any sales charge or subscription fee from the amount subscribed for the Shares.
13. No person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any Share upon any trust, and the Company shall not be bound by or recognise (even when having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any Share, or (except as otherwise provided by these Articles or as required by law) any other right in respect of any Share except an absolute right thereto in the registered holder, provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall be entitled to recognise any such interests as shall be determined by the Directors.
14. The Directors shall keep or cause to be kept a Register of Members as required by the Companies Act at such place or places as the Directors may from time to time determine. In the absence of any such determination, the Register of Members shall be kept at the Registered Office.
15. The Directors in each year shall prepare or cause to be prepared an annual return and declaration setting forth the particulars required by the Companies Act in respect of exempted companies and deliver a copy thereof to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands.
16. The Company shall not issue Shares to bearer.
17. The Directors may issue fractions of a Share and, if so issued, a fraction of a Share shall be subject to and carry the corresponding fraction of liabilities (whether with respect to nominal or par value, premium, calls or otherwise howsoever), limitations, preferences, privileges, qualifications, restrictions, rights (including, without prejudice to the foregoing generality, voting and participation rights) and other attributes of a Share. If more than one fraction of a Share is issued to or acquired by the same Shareholder, such fractions shall be accumulated.
18. The premium arising on all issues of Shares shall be held in the Share Premium Account established in accordance with these Articles.
19. Payment for Shares shall be made at such time and place and to such person on behalf of the Company as the Directors may from time to time determine. Payment for any Shares shall be made in such currency as the Directors may determine from time to time, provided that the Directors shall have the discretion to accept payment in any other currency or in kind or a combination of cash and in kind.
Annex B-5
REDEMPTION, PURCHASE AND SURRENDER OF SHARES
20. Subject to the Companies Act, the Company may:
(a) issue Shares on terms that they are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Company and/or the Shareholder on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may, before the issue of such Shares, determine;
(b) purchase its own Shares (including any redeemable Shares) on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine, or as may be determined by Ordinary Resolution, and agreed with the Shareholder; and
(c) make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of Shares in any manner authorised by the Companies Act, including out of its capital, profits or the proceeds of a fresh issue of Shares.
21. Unless the Directors determine otherwise, any Share in respect of which notice of redemption has been given shall not be entitled to participate in the profits of the Company in respect of the period after the date specified as the date of redemption in the notice of redemption.
22. The redemption or purchase of any Share shall not be deemed to give rise to the redemption or purchase of any other Share.
23. The Directors may when making payments in respect of a redemption or purchase of Shares, if authorised by the terms of issue of the Shares being redeemed or purchased or with the agreement of the holder of such Shares, make such payment either in cash or in specie.
24. Subject to the Companies Act, the Company may accept the surrender for no consideration of any fully paid Share (including any redeemable Share) on such terms and in such manner as the Directors may determine.
TREASURY SHARES
25. Shares that the Company purchases, redeems or acquires (by way of surrender or otherwise) may, at the option of the Company, be cancelled immediately or held as Treasury Shares in accordance with the Companies Act. In the event that the Directors do not specify that the relevant Shares are to be held as Treasury Shares, such Shares shall be cancelled.
26. No dividend may be declared or paid, and no other distribution (whether in cash or otherwise) of the Company’s assets (including any distribution of assets to Shareholders on a winding up) may be declared or paid in respect of a Treasury Share.
27. The Company shall be entered in the Register of Members as the holder of the Treasury Shares, provided that:
(a) the Company shall not be treated as a Shareholder for any purpose and shall not exercise any right in respect of the Treasury Shares, and any purported exercise of such a right shall be void; and
(b) a Treasury Share shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting of the Company and shall not be counted in determining the total number of issued shares at any given time, whether for the purposes of these Articles or the Companies Act, save that an allotment of Shares as fully paid bonus shares in respect of Treasury Shares is permitted and Shares allotted as fully paid bonus shares in respect of Treasury Shares shall be treated as Treasury Shares.
28. Treasury Shares may be disposed of by the Company on any terms and conditions determined by the Directors. The Directors may determine to cancel a Treasury Share or transfer a Treasury Share on such terms as they think proper (including for nil consideration).
MODIFICATION OF RIGHTS
29. If at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes or series of Shares, the rights attached to any class or series (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class or series) may, whether or not the Company is being wound up, be varied or abrogated with the consent in
Annex B-6
writing of the holders of at least two-thirds of the issued Shares of that class or series or with the sanction of a resolution passed by a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the Shares of that class or series (subject to any rights or restrictions attached to those Shares).
30. The provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to every class meeting of the holders of one class or series of Shares, except that the necessary quorum shall be the presence in person or by proxy of one or more Shareholders holding at least fifty (50) per cent of the voting rights of the issued and outstanding Shares of that class or series carrying the right to vote at such meeting, provided that if at any adjourned meeting of such holders a quorum as above defined is not present in person or represented by proxy, those holder of Shares of the relevant class or series who are present in person or represented by proxy shall form a quorum.
31. For the purposes of Articles 29 and 30, the Directors may treat all classes or series of Shares, or any two classes or series of Shares, as forming a single class or series if they consider that each class or series would be affected in the same way by the proposal or proposals under consideration. In any other case, the Directors shall treat all classes or series of Shares, or any two classes or series of Shares, as separate classes or series (as applicable).
32. The rights of the holders of the Shares of any class or series shall not, where those Shares were issued with preferred or other rights, be deemed to be varied or abrogated by the creation or issue of further Shares ranking equally with or subsequent to those Shares or the redemption or purchase of Shares of any other class or series by the Company (subject to any rights or restrictions attached to those Shares). The rights of the holders of Shares shall not be deemed to be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of Shares with preferred or other rights including, without limitation, the creation of Shares with enhanced or weighted voting rights.
SHARE CERTIFICATES
33. The Shares will be issued in fully registered, book-entry form. Certificates will not be issued unless the Directors determine otherwise. All share certificates, if any, shall specify the Share or Shares held by that person, provided that in respect of a Share or Shares held jointly by several persons the Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate, and delivery of a certificate for a Share to one of several joint holders shall be sufficient delivery to all. All certificates for Shares shall be delivered personally or sent through the post addressed to the Shareholder entitled thereto at the Shareholder’s registered address as appearing in the Register of Members.
34. Every share certificate of the Company shall bear any legends required under the applicable laws, including the Securities Act.
35. Any two or more certificates representing Shares of any one class held by any Shareholder may at the Shareholder’s request be cancelled and a single new certificate for such Shares issued in lieu on payment (if the Directors shall so require) of one dollar (US$1.00) or such smaller sum as the Directors shall determine.
36. If a share certificate shall be damaged or defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, a new certificate representing the same Shares may be issued to the relevant Shareholder upon request, subject to delivery up of the old certificate or (if alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed) compliance with such conditions as to evidence and indemnity and the payment of out-of-pocket expenses of the Company in connection with the request as the Directors may think fit.
37. In the event that Shares are held jointly by several persons, any request may be made by any one of the joint holders and if so made shall be binding on all of the joint holders.
TRANSFER AND TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
38. In respect any Shares that are listed on a Designated Stock Exchange for the time being, and provided that such transfer complies with the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, a Shareholder may transfer Shares to another person by completing an instrument of transfer:
(a) in a form prescribed by the Designated Stock Exchange; or
Annex B-7
(b) otherwise in any common form or any form approved by the Directors which is executed by or on behalf of that Shareholder, where the Shares are fully paid, or by or on behalf of that Shareholder and the transferee, where the Shares are partly-paid or unpaid.
39. In respect any Shares that are listed on a Designated Stock Exchange for the time being, the Directors may decline to register any transfer of any Share, unless:
(a) the instrument of transfer is lodged with the Company, accompanied by the certificate (if any) for the Shares to which it relates and such other evidence as the Directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;
(b) the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of Shares;
(c) the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required;
(d) a fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchange may determine to be payable, or such lesser sum as the Board of Directors may from time to time require, is paid to the Company in respect thereof; and
(e) in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the Share is to be transferred does not exceed four.
40. In respect of Shares that are not listed on a Designated Stock Exchange for the time being, no transfer shall be permitted without the consent of the Directors, which may be withheld for any or no reason, including without limitation where, in the opinion of the Directors, the transfer is not or may not be consistent with any representation or warranty that the transferor of the Shares may have given to the Company, may result in Shares being held by any person in breach of the laws of any country or government authority, may subject the Company or Shareholders to adverse tax or regulatory consequences under the laws of any country, or where the transfer is in respect of Shares that are not full paid up or are subject to a lien in favour of the Company.
41. The registration and transfer of Shares may be suspended at such times and for such periods as the Directors may from time to time determine, subject to the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange Rules (including as to notice).
42. All instruments of transfer which are registered shall be retained by the Company, but any instrument of transfer which the Directors may decline to register shall (except in any case of fraud) be returned to the person depositing the same.
43. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles, title to any Shares listed on a stock exchange that is an “approved stock exchange” (as defined in the Companies Act) may be evidenced and transferred in accordance with the laws applicable to, and the rules and regulations of, the relevant approved stock exchange that are or shall be applicable to such listed Shares. For the purposes of this Article, the laws applicable to an approved stock exchange include the laws of the jurisdiction under which the relevant approved stock exchange is established insofar as they would apply to an entity established under such laws which has listed shares on such approved stock exchange.
44. In case of the death of a Shareholder, the survivors or survivor (where the deceased was a joint holder) and the executors or administrators of the deceased where the deceased was the sole or only surviving holder, shall be the only persons recognised by the Company as having title to the deceased’s interest in the Shares, but nothing in this Article shall release the estate of the deceased holder whether sole or joint from any liability in respect of any Share solely or jointly held by the deceased.
45. Any guardian of an infant Shareholder and any curator or other legal representative of a Shareholder under legal disability and any person entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder shall, upon producing such evidence of title as the Directors may require, have the right either to be registered as the holder of the Share or to make such transfer thereof as the deceased or bankrupt Shareholder could have made, but the Directors shall in either case have the same right to refuse or suspend registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the Shares by the infant or by the deceased or bankrupt Shareholder before the death or bankruptcy or by the Shareholder under legal disability before such disability.
Annex B-8
46. A person so becoming entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Shareholder shall have the right to receive and may give a discharge for all dividends and other money payable or other advantages due on or in respect of the Share, but such person shall not be entitled to receive notice of or to attend or vote at meetings of the Company, or save as aforesaid, to any of the rights or privileges of a Shareholder unless and until such person shall be registered as a Shareholder in respect of the Share, provided always that the Directors may at any time give notice requiring any such person to elect either to be registered or to transfer the Share and if the notice is not complied with within ninety (90) days the Directors may thereafter withhold all dividends or other monies payable or other advantages due in respect of the Share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with.
LIEN
47. The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on all Shares (whether fully paid-up or not) registered in the name of a Shareholder (whether solely or jointly with others) for all debts, liabilities or engagements to or with the Company (whether presently payable or not) by such Shareholder or the Shareholder’s estate, either alone or jointly with any other person, whether a Shareholder or not, but the Directors may at any time declare any Share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The registration of a transfer of any such Share shall operate as a waiver of the Company’s lien thereon. The Company’s lien on a Share shall also extend to any amount payable in respect of that Share.
48. The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors think fit, any Shares on which the Company has a lien, if a sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable, and is not paid within fourteen (14) clear days after notice has been given to the holder of the Shares, or to the person entitled to it in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of the holder, demanding payment and stating that if the notice is not complied with the Shares may be sold.
49. To give effect to any such sale the Directors may authorise any person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Shares sold to, or in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser. The purchaser or the purchaser’s nominee shall be registered as the holder of the Shares comprised in any such transfer, and the purchaser shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall the purchaser’s title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the sale or the exercise of the Company’s power of sale under these Articles.
50. The net proceeds of such sale, after payment of costs, shall be applied in payment of such part of the amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable and any residue shall (subject to a like lien for sums not presently payable as existed upon the Shares before the sale) be paid to the person entitled to the Shares at the date of the sale.
CALL ON SHARES
51. Subject to the terms of the allotment the Directors may from time to time make calls upon the Shareholders in respect of any monies unpaid on their Shares (whether in respect of par value or premium), and each Shareholder shall (subject to receiving at least fourteen (14) days’ notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the amount called on the Shares. A call may be revoked or postponed as the Directors may determine. A call may be required to be paid by instalments. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon them notwithstanding the subsequent transfer of the Shares in respect of which the call was made.
52. A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorising such call was passed.
53. The joint holders of a Share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect thereof.
54. If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable, the person from whom it is due shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day it became due and payable until it is paid at such rate as the Directors may determine, but the Directors may waive payment of the interest wholly or in part.
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55. An amount payable in respect of a Share on allotment or at any fixed date, whether on account of the par value of the Share or premium or otherwise, shall be deemed to be a call and if it is not paid all the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call.
56. The Directors may issue Shares with different terms as to the amount and times of payment of calls, or the interest to be paid.
57. The Directors may, if they think fit, receive an amount from any Shareholder willing to advance all or any part of the monies uncalled and unpaid upon any Shares held by such Shareholder, and may (until the amount would otherwise become payable) pay interest at such rate as may be agreed upon between the Directors and the Shareholder paying such amount in advance.
58. No such amount paid in advance of calls shall entitle the Shareholder paying such amount to any portion of a dividend declared in respect of any period prior to the date upon which such amount would, but for such payment, become payable.
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
59. If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the Directors may give to the person from whom it is due not less than fourteen (14) clear days’ notice requiring payment of the amount unpaid together with any interest which may have accrued. The notice shall specify where payment is to be made and shall state that if the notice is not complied with the Shares in respect of which the call was made will be liable to be forfeited.
60. If the notice is not complied with any Share in respect of which it was given may, before the payment required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors. Such forfeiture shall include all dividends or other monies declared payable in respect of the forfeited Share and not paid before the forfeiture.
61. A forfeited Share may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as the Directors think fit and at any time before a sale, re-allotment or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the Directors think fit. Where for the purposes of its disposal a forfeited Share is to be transferred to any person the Directors may authorise some person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Share in favour of that person.
62. A person any of whose Shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Shareholder in respect of them and shall surrender to the Company for cancellation the certificate for the Shares forfeited and shall remain liable to pay to the Company all monies which at the date of forfeiture were payable by such person to the Company in respect of those Shares together with interest, but such person’s liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all monies due and payable by such person in respect of those Shares.
63. A certificate in writing under the hand of one Director or officer of the Company that a Share has been forfeited on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the fact as against all persons claiming to be entitled to the Share. The certificate shall (subject to the execution of any instrument of transfer) constitute a good title to the Share and the person to whom the Share is disposed of shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any, nor shall such person’s title to the Share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or disposal of the Share.
64. The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which, by the terms of issue of a Share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the par value of the Share or by way of premium as if it had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified.
ALTERATION OF SHARE CAPITAL
65. The Company may from time to time by Ordinary Resolution increase its share capital by such sum to be divided into Shares of such amounts as the resolution shall prescribe.
66. All new Shares shall be subject to the provisions of these Articles with reference to transfer, transmission and otherwise.
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67. Subject to the Companies Act, the Company may by Special Resolution from time to time reduce its share capital in any way, and in particular, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, may:
(a) cancel any paid-up share capital which is lost, or which is not represented by available assets; or
(b) pay off any paid-up share capital which is in excess of the requirements of the Company,
and may, if and so far as is necessary, alter the Memorandum by reducing the amounts of its share capital and of its Shares accordingly.
68. The Company may from time to time by Ordinary Resolution alter (without reducing) its share capital by:
(a) consolidating and dividing all or any of its share capital into Shares of larger amount than its existing Shares;
(b) sub-dividing its Shares, or any of them, into Shares of smaller amount than that fixed by the Memorandum so, however, that in the sub-division the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced Share shall be the same as it was in the case of the Share from which the reduced Share is derived; or
(c) cancelling any Shares which, at the date of the passing of the Ordinary Resolution, have not been taken, or agreed to be taken by any person, and diminishing the amount of its authorised share capital by the amount of the Shares so cancelled.
GENERAL MEETINGS
69. The Directors may proceed to convene a general meeting whenever they think fit, including, without limitation, for the purposes of considering a liquidation of the Company, and they shall convene a general meeting on the requisition of one or more Shareholders holding at the date of the deposit of the requisition not less than thirty (30) per cent of all votes attaching to the issued and outstanding Shares that as at the date of the deposit carry the right of voting at general meetings of the Company.
70. The requisition:
(a) must be in writing and state the objects of the meeting;
(b) must be signed by each requisitionist and deposited at the Registered Office; and
(c) may consist of several documents in like form each signed by one or more requisitionists.
71. If the Directors do not within thirty (30) days from the date of the deposit of the requisition duly proceed to convene a general meeting, the requisitionists, or any of them representing more than one-half of the total voting rights of all of them, may themselves convene a general meeting, but any meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of forty-five (45) days after the expiration of the said thirty (30) day period.
72. A general meeting convened as aforesaid by requisitionists shall be convened in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which general meetings are convened by the Directors. A general meeting may be convened in the Cayman Islands or at such other location as the Directors think fit.
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
73. At least five (5) clear days’ notice specifying the place, the day and the hour of any general meeting and the general nature of the business to be conducted at the general meeting, shall be given in the manner hereinafter mentioned to such persons as are under these Articles or the conditions of issue of the Shares held by them entitled to receive notices from the Company. If the Directors determine that prompt Shareholder action is advisable, they may shorten the notice period for any general meeting to such period as the Directors consider reasonable.
74. A general meeting shall, notwithstanding that it is called by shorter notice than that specified in the preceding Article, be deemed to have been duly called with regard to the length of notice if it is so agreed by all the Shareholders entitled to attend and vote thereat.
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75. In every notice calling a general meeting, there shall appear with reasonable prominence the full text of each Special Resolution to be considered at such general meeting (if any) and a statement that a Shareholder entitled to attend and vote is entitled to appoint one or more proxies to attend such meeting and vote instead of such Shareholder and that a proxy need not also be a Shareholder.
76. The accidental omission to give notice to, or the non-receipt of notice by, any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings at any general meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
77. No business except for the appointment of a chairperson for the meeting shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present. Save as otherwise provided in these Articles a quorum shall be the presence, in person or by proxy, of one or more persons holding Shares that represent at least one-third of the issued and outstanding Shares carrying the right to attend and vote thereat.
78. Save as otherwise provided for in these Articles, if within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened on the requisition of or by Shareholders, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at the same time and place or to such other day and at such other time and place as the Directors may determine and if at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within fifteen (15) minutes from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Shareholders present shall be a quorum.
79. The Directors may, in their discretion, (i) permit attendance at and participation in any general meeting of the Company by means of Communication Facilities and/or (ii) determine that any general meeting shall, through the aid of Communication Facilities, be held in more than one place. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Directors may determine that any general meeting may be held as a Virtual Meeting. The notice of any general meeting at which Communication Facilities will be utilised (including any Virtual Meeting) shall disclose the Communication Facilities that will be used, including the procedures to be followed by any person who wishes to utilise such Communication Facilities for the purposes of attending, participating in and/or voting at such meeting.
80. The Chairperson (if any) or, if absent, the Deputy Chairperson (if any) of the Board of Directors, or, failing them, some other Director nominated by the Directors shall preside as chairperson at every general meeting, but if at any meeting neither the Chairperson nor the Deputy Chairperson nor such other Director be present within fifteen (15) minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or if neither of them be willing to act as chairperson of the meeting, the Directors present shall choose some Director present to be chairperson of the meeting or if no Directors are present, or if all the Directors present decline to take the chair, the Shareholders present shall choose some Shareholder present to be chairperson of the meeting.
81. The chairperson of any general meeting (including any Virtual Meeting) shall be entitled to attend and participate at any such general meeting by means of Communication Facilities, and to act as the chairperson of such general meeting, in which event the following provisions shall apply:
(a) the chairperson of the meeting shall be deemed to be present at the meeting; and
(b) if the Communication Facilities are interrupted or fail for any reason to enable the chairperson of the meeting to hear and be heard by all other persons participating in the meeting, then the other Directors present at the meeting shall choose another Director present to act as chairperson of the meeting for the remainder of the meeting; provided that if no other Director is present at the meeting, or if all the Directors present decline to take the chair, then the meeting shall be automatically adjourned to the same day in the next week and at such time and place as shall be decided by the Board of Directors.
82. The chairperson of the meeting may with the consent of any meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting) adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting except business which might lawfully have been transacted at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a meeting is adjourned for fourteen (14) days or more, at least five (5) calendar days’ notice specifying the place, the day and the hour of the adjourned
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meeting shall be given as in the case of the original meeting but it shall not be necessary to specify in such notice the nature of the business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting. Save as aforesaid, it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.
83. The Directors may cancel or postpone any duly convened general meeting at any time prior to such meeting, except for general meetings requisitioned by the Shareholders in accordance with these Articles, for any reason or for no reason, and shall, as soon as practicable after the determination to cancel or postpone such meeting is made, give notice in writing to the Shareholders of such cancellation or postponement. A postponement may be for a stated period of any length or indefinitely as the Directors may determine.
84. At any general meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided by a poll and not on a show of hands.
85. A poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairperson of the meeting directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting. If, through the aid of Communication Facilities, the meeting is held in more than one place, the chairperson of the meeting may appoint scrutineers in more than one place, but if the chairperson of the meeting considers that the poll cannot be monitored effectively at the meeting, the chairperson of the meeting may adjourn the meeting to a place (or places), date and time at which the chairperson of the meeting believes it will be possible for the poll to be monitored effectively.
86. All questions submitted to a meeting shall be decided by an Ordinary Resolution except where a greater majority is required by these Articles or by the Companies Act. In the case of an equality of votes, the chairperson of the meeting shall be not entitled to a second or casting vote and the resolution in question shall not be passed.
87. A poll shall be taken forthwith or at such time as the chairperson of the meeting directs.
VOTES OF SHAREHOLDERS
88. Subject to any rights and restrictions for the time being attached to any Share, on a poll every Shareholder present in person or by proxy at the meeting shall have one (1) vote for each Share held by such Shareholder.
89. In the case of joint holders of a Share, the vote of the senior holder who tenders a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the Register of Members in respect of the Shares.
90. A Shareholder who has appointed special or general attorneys or a Shareholder who is subject to a disability may vote on a poll, by such Shareholder’s attorney, committee, receiver, curator bonis or other person in the nature of a committee, receiver, or curator bonis appointed by a court and such attorney, committee, receiver, curator bonis or other person may on a poll vote by proxy; provided that such evidence as the Directors may require of the authority of the person claiming to vote shall, unless otherwise waived by the Directors, have been deposited at the Registered Office not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which such person claims to vote.
91. No objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter except at the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered, and every vote not disallowed at such meeting shall be valid for all purposes. Any such objection made in due time shall be referred to the chairperson of the meeting, whose decision shall be final and conclusive.
92. Votes may be given either personally or by proxy and a Shareholder entitled to more than one vote need not, if the Shareholder votes, use all their votes or cast all the votes the Shareholder uses in the same way.
PROXIES
93. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of the appointor’s attorney duly authorised in writing, or if the appointor is a corporation, either under its common seal or under the hand of an officer or attorney so authorised.
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94. Any person (whether a Shareholder or not) may be appointed to act as a proxy. Each Shareholder, other than a recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)), may only appoint one proxy on a poll.
95. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be:
(a) deposited at the Registered Office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company not less than 48 hours before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote; or
(b) in the case of a poll taken more than forty-eight (48) hours after it is demanded, be deposited as aforesaid after the poll has been demanded and not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the time appointed for the taking of the poll; or
(c) where the poll is not taken forthwith but is taken not more than forty-eight (48) hours after it was demanded, be delivered at the meeting at which the poll was demanded to the chairperson of the meeting or to the Secretary or to any Director,
provided that the Directors may in the notice convening the meeting, or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, direct that the instrument appointing a proxy may be deposited at such other time (no later than the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting) at the Registered Office or at such other place as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, or in any instrument of proxy sent out by the Company. The chairperson of the meeting may in any event at his discretion direct that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to have been duly deposited. An instrument of proxy that is not deposited (or deemed to have been duly deposited) in the manner permitted shall be invalid.
96. An instrument of proxy:
(a) shall be in any usual or common form or in such other form as the Directors may approve;
(b) shall be deemed to confer authority to vote on any amendment of a resolution put to the general meeting for which it is given as the proxy thinks fit; and
(c) may be expressed to be for a particular meeting or generally until revoked and, in the case of a proxy given for a particular meeting, shall be valid for any adjournment of the general meeting for which it is given unless earlier revoked.
97. The Directors may at the expense of the Company send to the Shareholders instruments of proxy (with or without prepaid postage for their return) for use at any general meeting, either in blank or nominating in the alternative any one or more of the Directors or any other persons. If for the purpose of any meeting invitations to appoint as proxy a person or one of a number of persons specified in the invitations are issued at the expense of the Company, such invitations shall be issued to all (and not to some only) of the Shareholders entitled to be sent a notice of the meeting and to vote thereat by proxy.
98. A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the death or insanity of the principal or the revocation of the instrument of proxy, or of the authority under which the instrument of proxy was executed, provided that no intimation in writing of such death, insanity, revocation or transfer shall have been received by the Company at the Registered Office before commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the instrument of proxy is used.
99. Anything which under these Articles a Shareholder may do by proxy that Shareholder may also do by a duly appointed attorney. The provisions of these Articles relating to proxies and instruments appointing proxies apply, mutatis mutandis, to any such attorney and the instrument appointing that attorney.
100. Any Shareholder which is a corporation, partnership or other body corporate may, by a resolution of its directors or other governing body, authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting or meetings of the Company. The person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of such corporation, partnership or other body corporate as the corporation, partnership or other body
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corporate could exercise if it were a Shareholder who was an individual and such corporation, partnership or other body corporate shall for the purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so authorised is present.
101. If a recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) is a Shareholder of the Company it may, by resolution of its directors or other governing body or by power of attorney, authorise such person(s) as it thinks fit to act as its representative(s) at any general meeting of the Company or of any class of Shareholders provided that, if more than one person is so authorised, the authorisation shall specify the number and class of Shares in respect of which each such person is so authorised. A person so authorised pursuant to this Article shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) which he represents as that recognised clearing house (or its nominee(s)) or depositary (or its nominee(s)) could exercise if it were an individual Shareholder holding the number and class of Shares specified in such authorisation.
DIRECTORS
102. The Company shall at all times have not less than one Director. Subject to the foregoing and the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution impose any maximum or minimum number of Directors required to hold office at any time and vary such limits from time to time and, unless and until any minimum or maximum number of Directors is so imposed, the minimum number of Directors shall be one and the maximum number of Directors shall be unlimited. For so long as any of the Company’s Shares are listed, the Board of Directors shall include such number of Independent Directors as is required by the Designated Stock Exchange Rules.
103. A Director need not be a Shareholder but shall be entitled to receive notice of and attend all general meetings.
104. The Company may, by Ordinary Resolution, appoint any person to be a Director and may in like manner remove any Director and may appoint another person in the Director’s stead. Without prejudice to the power of the Company by Ordinary Resolution to appoint a person to be a Director, the Board may, by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting, appoint any person as a Director, to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board.
105. An appointment of a Director may be on terms that the Director shall automatically retire from office (unless he has sooner vacated office) at the next or a subsequent annual general meeting or upon any specified event or after any specified period in a written agreement between the Company and the Director, if any; but no such term shall be implied in the absence of express provision. Any Director whose term of office expires shall be eligible for re-appointment by the Shareholders or by the Board of Directors.
106. Each Director shall be entitled to such remuneration as approved by the Board of Directors and this may be in addition to such remuneration as may be payable under any other Article. Such remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from day to day. The Directors shall be entitled to be paid for their travelling, hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in going to, attending and returning from meetings of the Directors, or any committee of the Directors, or general meetings of the Company, or otherwise in connection with the business of the Company, or to receive such fixed allowance in respect thereof as may be determined by the Directors from time to time, or a combination partly of one such method and partly the other. The Directors may, in addition to such remuneration as aforesaid, grant special remuneration to any Director who, being called upon, shall perform any special or extra services to or at the request of the Company.
107. Each Director shall have the power to appoint another Director or any other person to act as alternate Director in the Director’s place at any meeting of the Directors at which the Director is unable to be present and at the Director’s discretion to remove such alternate Director. On such appointment being made the alternate Director shall (except as regards the power to appoint an alternate Director) be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions existing with reference to the other Directors and each alternate Director, whilst acting in the place of an absent Director, shall exercise and discharge all the functions, powers and duties of the Director being represented. Any Director who is appointed as alternate Director shall be entitled at a meeting of the Directors to cast a vote on behalf of their appointor in addition to the vote to which such Director is entitled in their own capacity as a Director, and shall also be considered as two Directors for the purpose of forming a quorum of Directors. Any person appointed as an alternate Director shall automatically
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vacate such office as an alternate Director if and when the Director by whom the alternate Director has been appointed vacates their office of Director. The remuneration of an alternate Director shall be payable out of the remuneration of the Director appointing such alternate Director and shall be agreed between them.
108. Every instrument appointing an alternate Director shall be in such form as the Directors may approve.
109. The appointment and removal of an alternate Director shall take effect when lodged at the Registered Office or delivered at a meeting of the Directors.
110. The office of a Director shall be vacated in any of the following events namely:
(a) if the Director resigns their office by notice in writing signed by such Director and delivered to the Registered Office;
(b) if the Director becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with such Director’s creditors generally;
(c) if the Director was only appointed as a Director for a fixed term and such term expires;
(d) if the Director dies or is found to be or becomes of unsound mind;
(e) if the Director ceases to be a Director by virtue of, or becomes prohibited from being a Director by reason of, an order made under any provisions of any law or enactment;
(f) if the Director is removed from office by notice addressed to such Director at their last known address and signed by all of the other Directors (not being less than two in number);
(g) if the Director is absent (without being represented by an alternate Director appointed by him) from three consecutive meetings of the Board of Directors without special leave of absence from the Directors, and the other Directors pass a resolution that he has by reason of such absence vacated office; or
(h) if the Director is removed from office by Ordinary Resolution.
TRANSACTIONS WITH DIRECTORS
111. A Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other than the office of Auditor) in conjunction with their office of Director on such terms as to remuneration, tenure of office and otherwise as the Directors may determine.
112. No Director or intending Director shall be disqualified by their office from contracting with the Company either as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or any contract or arrangement entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director is in any way interested be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company for any profit realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relationship thereby established, but the nature of the Director’s interest must be declared by such Director at the meeting of the Directors at which the question of entering into the contract or arrangement is first taken into consideration, or if the Director was not at the date of that meeting interested in the proposed contract or arrangement, then at the next meeting of the Directors held after such Director becomes so interested, and in a case where the Director becomes interested in a contract or arrangement after it is made, then at the first meeting of the Directors held after such Director becomes so interested.
113. A Director who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with the Company shall declare (whether by specific or general notice) the nature of their interest at a meeting of the Directors. Subject to the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, a Director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract or arrangement notwithstanding that such Director may be interested therein and if such Director does so their vote shall be counted and such Director may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the Directors at which any such contract or proposed contract or arrangement shall come before the meeting for consideration.
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114. Subject to the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, a general notice given to the Directors by any Director to the effect that he is a member or director of (or is otherwise interested in) any specified company or firm and is to be regarded as interested in any contract or transaction which may thereafter be made with that company or firm shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of interest in regard to any contract so made or transaction so consummated.
115. Where proposals are under consideration concerning the appointment (including fixing or varying the terms of appointment) of two or more Directors to offices or employments with the Company or any company in which the Company is interested, such proposals may be divided and considered in relation to each Director separately and in such cases each of the Directors concerned shall be entitled to vote (and be counted in the quorum) in respect of each resolution except that concerning the Director’s own appointment.
116. Any Director may act independently or through the Director’s firm in a professional capacity for the Company, and the Director or the firm shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if the Director were not a Director, provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise a Director or the Director’s firm to act as Auditor to the Company.
117. Any Director may continue to be or become a director, managing director, manager or other officer or shareholder of any company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be interested, and no such Director shall be accountable for any remuneration or other benefits received by the Director as a director, managing director, manager or other officer or shareholder of any such other company. The Directors may exercise the voting power conferred by the shares in any other company held or owned by the Company or exercisable by them as directors of such other company, in such manner in all respects as they think fit (including the exercise thereof in favour of any resolution appointing themselves or any of them directors, managing directors or other officers of such company, or voting or providing for the payment of remuneration to the directors, managing directors or other officers of such company).
POWERS OF DIRECTORS
118. The business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors, who may exercise all such powers of the Company as are not by the Companies Act or by these Articles required to be exercised by the Company in general meeting, subject nevertheless to any regulations of these Articles, to the Companies Act, and to such regulations being not inconsistent with the aforesaid regulations or provisions as may be prescribed by the Company in general meeting, but no regulations made by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors which would have been valid if such regulations had not been made. The general powers given by this Article shall not be limited or restricted by any special authority or power given to the Directors by any other Article.
119. The Directors may from time to time and at any time by power of attorney appoint any company, firm or person or any fluctuating body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or attorneys of the Company for such purposes and with such powers authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such appointment may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorneys as the Directors may think fit, and may also authorise any such attorney to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in such attorney. The Directors may also appoint any person to be the agent of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under these Articles) and for such period and on such conditions as they determine, including authority for the agent to delegate all or any of their powers.
120. Subject to applicable law and the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, the Directors may, from time to time, adopt, institute, amend, modify or revoke the corporate governance policies or initiatives of the Company, which shall set out the guiding principles and policies of the Company with respect to corporate governance related matters.
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121. All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable or transferable instruments drawn by the Company, and all receipts for monies paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, in such manner as the Directors shall from time to time by resolution determine.
MANAGEMENT
122. The Directors may from time to time provide for the management of the affairs of the Company in such manner as they shall think fit and the provisions contained in the three next following Articles shall not limit the general powers conferred by this Article.
123. The Directors from time to time and at any time may establish any committees, local boards or agencies for managing any of the affairs of the Company and may appoint any natural person or corporation to be a member of such committees or local boards and may appoint any managers or agents of the Company and may fix the remuneration of any such natural person or corporation.
124. The Directors from time to time and at any time may delegate to any such committee, local board, manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in the Directors and may authorise the members for the time being of any such local board, or any of them to fill any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies and any such appointment or delegation may be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Directors may think fit and the Directors may at any time remove any natural person or corporation so appointed and may annul or vary any such delegation, but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such annulment or variation shall be affected thereby.
125. Any such delegates as aforesaid may be authorised by the Directors to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities, and discretions for the time being vested in them.
MANAGING DIRECTOR
126. The Directors may, from time to time, appoint one or more of their number (but not an alternate Director) to the office of managing director for such term and at such remuneration (whether by way of salary, or commission, or participation in profits, or partly in one way and partly in another) as they may think fit, but any such appointment shall automatically terminate if such managing director ceases for any reason to be a Director.
127. The Directors may entrust to and confer upon a managing director any of the powers exercisable by them upon such terms and conditions and with such restrictions as they may think fit and either collaterally with or to the exclusion of their own powers and may from time to time revoke, withdraw, alter or vary all or any of such powers.
PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS
128. The Directors may meet together for the dispatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate their meetings, as they think fit. Questions and matters arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes. In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairperson shall not have a second or casting vote. A Director may, and the Secretary on the requisition of a Director shall, at any time summon a meeting of the Directors.
129. A Director or Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee appointed by the Board of Directors of which such Director or Directors are members, by means of Communication Facilities and such participation shall be deemed to constitute presence in person at the meeting.
130. The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Directors shall be a majority of the Directors if there are two or more Directors, and shall be one if there is only one Director.
131. The continuing Directors or a sole continuing Director may act notwithstanding any vacancies in their number, but if and so long as the number of Directors is reduced below the minimum number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles the continuing Directors or Director may act for the purpose of filling up vacancies in their number, or of summoning general meetings, but not for any other purpose. If there be no Directors or Director able or willing to act, then any two Shareholders may summon a general meeting for the purpose of appointing Directors.
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132. The Directors may from time to time elect and remove a Chairperson and, if they think fit, a Deputy Chairperson and determine the period for which they respectively are to hold office. The Chairperson or, failing them, the Deputy Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Directors, but if there be no Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson, or if at any meeting the Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson be not present within fifteen (15) minutes after the time appointed for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairperson of the meeting.
133. A meeting of the Directors for the time being at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all powers and discretions for the time being exercisable by the Directors.
134. The Directors, and/or the Shareholders by Ordinary Resolution, may appoint such officers as they consider necessary on such terms, at such remuneration and to perform such duties, and subject to such provisions as to disqualification and removal as the Directors or Shareholders (as applicable) may think fit. Unless otherwise specified in the terms of the officer’s appointment an officer may be removed by resolution of the Directors or Shareholders.
135. All acts done by any meeting of Directors, or of a committee of Directors or by any person acting as a Director, shall, notwithstanding it be afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such Director or person acting as aforesaid, or that they or any of them were disqualified, or had vacated office, or were not entitled to vote, be as valid as if every such person had been duly appointed, and was qualified and had continued to be a Director and had been entitled to vote.
136. The Directors shall cause minutes to be made of:
(a) all appointments of officers made by the Directors;
(b) the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of any committee of Directors; and
(c) all resolutions and proceedings of all meetings of the Company and of the Directors and of any committee of Directors.
Any such minutes, if purporting to be signed by the chairperson of the meeting of the meeting at which the proceedings took place, or by the chairperson of the meeting of the next succeeding meeting, shall, until the contrary be proved, be conclusive evidence of the proceedings.
WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS OF DIRECTORS
137. A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors for the time being entitled to attend and vote at a meeting of the Directors (an alternate Director being entitled to sign such a resolution on behalf of their appointor) shall be as valid and effective as a resolution passed at a meeting of the Directors duly convened and held and may consist of several documents in the like form each signed by one or more of the Directors (or their alternates).
PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT
138. A Director who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless the Director’s dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless the Director shall file their written dissent from such action with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered mail to such person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favour of such action.
BORROWING POWERS
139. The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and hypothecate, mortgage, charge or pledge its undertaking, property, and assets or any part thereof, and to issue debentures, debenture stock or other securities, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt liability or obligation of the Company or of any third party.
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SECRETARY
140. The Directors may appoint any person to be a Secretary who shall hold office for such term, at such remuneration and upon such conditions and with such powers as they think fit. Any Secretary so appointed by the Directors may be removed by the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution. Anything required or authorised to be done by or to the Secretary may, if the office is vacant or there is for any other reason no Secretary capable of acting, be done by or to any assistant or deputy Secretary or if there is no assistant or deputy Secretary capable of acting, by or to any officer of the Company authorised generally or specially in that behalf by the Directors, provided that any provisions of these Articles requiring or authorising a thing to be done by or to a Director and the Secretary shall not be satisfied by its being done by or to the same person acting both as Director and as, or in the place of, the Secretary.
141. No person shall be appointed or hold office as Secretary who is:
(a) the sole Director;
(b) a corporation the sole director of which is the sole Director; or
(c) the sole director of a corporation which is the sole Director.
THE SEAL
142. If a Seal is adopted, the Directors shall provide for the safe custody of the Seal and the Seal shall never be used except by the authority of a resolution of the Board of Directors or under the authority of a Director or committee of the Directors authorised by the Board of Directors in that behalf. The Directors may keep for use outside the Cayman Islands a duplicate Seal. The Directors may from time to time as they see fit (subject to the provisions of these Articles relating to share certificates) determine the persons and the number of such persons in whose presence the Seal or the facsimile thereof shall be used, and until otherwise so determined the Seal or any duplicate thereof shall not be affixed to any instrument other than in the presence of a Director or the Secretary, or of some other person duly authorised by the Directors for such purpose.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESERVES
143. Subject to the Companies Act, these Articles, and the special rights attaching to Shares of any class, dividends and distributions may be declared by the Directors, in their absolute discretion, or by the Shareholders by Ordinary Resolution (provided that no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by the Directors), on Shares in issue and authorise payment of the dividends or distributions out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor. No dividend or distribution shall be paid except out of the realised or unrealised profits of the Company, or out of the Share Premium Account, or as otherwise permitted by the Companies Act.
144. Except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to Shares, or as otherwise determined by the Directors, all dividends and distributions in respect of Shares shall be declared and paid according to the par value of the Shares that a Shareholder holds. If any Share is issued on terms providing that it shall rank for dividend or distribution as from a particular date, that Share shall rank for dividend or distribution accordingly.
145. The Directors may deduct and withhold from any dividend or distribution otherwise payable to any Shareholder all sums of money (if any) then payable by the Shareholder to the Company on account of calls or otherwise or any monies which the Company is obliged by law to pay to any taxing or other authority.
146. The Directors may declare that any dividend or distribution be paid wholly or partly by the distribution of specific assets and in particular of shares, debentures or securities of any other company or in any one or more of such ways and, where any difficulty arises in regard to such distribution, the Directors may settle the same as they think expedient and in particular may issue fractional Shares and fix the value for distribution of such specific assets or any part thereof and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Shareholder upon the basis of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of all Shareholders and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to the Directors.
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147. Any dividend, distribution, interest or other monies payable in cash in respect of Shares may be paid by wire transfer to the holder or by cheque or warrant sent through the post directed to the registered address of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the registered address of the holder who is first named on the Register of Members or to such person and to such address as such holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall (unless the Directors in their sole discretion otherwise determine) be made payable to the order of the person to whom it is sent. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual receipts for any dividends, bonuses, or other monies payable in respect of the Share held by them as joint holders.
148. Any dividend or distribution which cannot be paid to a Shareholder and/or which remains unclaimed after six (6) months from the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution may, in the discretion of the Directors, be paid into a separate account in the Company’s name, provided that the Company shall not be constituted as a trustee in respect of that account and the dividend or distribution shall remain as a debt due to the Shareholder. Any dividend or distribution which remains unclaimed after a period of six years from the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company.
149. No dividend or distribution shall bear interest against the Company unless expressly provided for by the rights attaching to a particular class of Shares and no dividend or distribution shall be paid on Treasury Shares.
SHARE PREMIUM ACCOUNT
150. The Directors shall establish an account on the books and records of the Company to be called the Share Premium Account and shall carry to the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any Share.
CAPITALISATION
151. Subject to the Companies Act, the Directors may:
(a) resolve to capitalise an amount standing to the credit of reserves (including a Share Premium Account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account), which is available for distribution;
(b) appropriate the sum resolved to be capitalised to the Shareholders in proportion to the nominal amount of Shares (whether or not fully paid) held by them respectively and apply that sum on their behalf in or towards:
(i) paying up the amounts (if any) for the time being unpaid on Shares held by them respectively, or
(ii) paying up in full unissued Shares or debentures of a nominal amount equal to that sum,
and allot the Shares or debentures, credited as fully paid, to the Shareholders (or as they may direct) in those proportions, or partly in one way and partly in the other, but the Share Premium Account, the capital redemption reserve and profits which are not available for distribution may, for the purposes of this Article, only be applied in paying up unissued Shares to be allotted to Shareholders credited as fully paid;
(c) make any arrangements they think fit to resolve a difficulty arising in the distribution of a capitalised reserve and in particular, without limitation, where Shares or debentures become distributable in fractions the Directors may deal with the fractions as they think fit;
(d) authorise a person to enter (on behalf of all the Shareholders concerned) into an agreement with the Company providing for either:
(i) the allotment to the Shareholders respectively, credited as fully paid, of Shares or debentures to which they may be entitled on the capitalisation; or
(ii) the payment by the Company on behalf of the Shareholders (by the application of their respective proportions of the reserves resolved to be capitalised) of the amounts or part of the amounts remaining unpaid on their existing Shares,
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and any such agreement made under this authority being effective and binding on all those Shareholders; and
(e) generally do all acts and things required to give effect to such resolutions.
152. Notwithstanding any provisions in these Articles and subject to the Companies Act, the Directors may resolve to capitalise an amount standing to the credit of reserves (including the Share Premium Account, capital redemption reserve and profit and loss account) or otherwise available for distribution by applying such sum in paying up in full unissued Shares to be allotted and issued to:
(a) employees, Directors or service providers of the Company or its affiliates upon exercise or vesting of any options or awards granted under any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme or other arrangement which relates to such persons that has been adopted or approved by the Directors or the Shareholders;
(b) any trustee of any trust or administrator of any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme to whom shares are to be allotted and issued by the Company in connection with the operation of any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme or other arrangement which relates to such persons that has been adopted or approved by the Directors or Shareholders; or
(c) service providers of the Company or its affiliates upon exercise or vesting of any options or awards granted under any share incentive scheme or employee benefit scheme or other arrangement which relates to such persons that has been adopted or approved by the Directors or the Shareholders.
BOOKS OF ACCOUNT
153. The Directors shall cause proper books of account to be kept with respect to all sums of money received and expended by the Company and the matters in respect of which the receipt or expenditure takes place, all sales and purchases of goods by the Company and the assets and liabilities of the Company. Proper books shall not be deemed to be kept if there are not kept such books of account as are necessary to give a true and fair view of the state of the Company’s affairs and to explain its transactions.
154. The books of account shall be kept at the Registered Office or at such other place as the Directors think fit, and shall always be open to inspection by the Directors.
155. The Board of Directors shall from time to time determine whether and to what extent and at what time and places and under what conditions or articles the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Shareholders not being Directors, and no Shareholder (not being a Director) shall have any right of inspection of any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred by law or authorised by the Board of Directors or by resolution of the Shareholders.
AUDIT
156. The accounts relating to the Company’s affairs shall be audited in such manner as may be determined from time to time by Ordinary Resolution of the Shareholders or, in the absence of any such determination, by the Board of Directors or, in the absence of any determination as aforesaid, shall not be audited.
157. The Directors may appoint an auditor of the Company who shall serve as Auditor of the Company. The Auditor may be removed by a resolution of the Directors and the Directors may fix the Auditor’s remuneration.
NOTICES
158. Except as otherwise provided in these Articles and subject to the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, at the discretion of the Board, any notice or document may be served by the Company to any Shareholder either personally, or by posting it by airmail or by courier service in a prepaid letter addressed to such Shareholder at his or her address as appearing in the Register of Members, or by electronic mail to any electronic mail address such Shareholder may have specified in writing for the purpose of such service of notices, or by facsimile to any facsimile number such Shareholder may have specified in writing for the purpose of such service of notices, or by placing it on the Company’s Website should the Board deem it appropriate. In the
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case of joint holders of a Share, all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register of Members in respect of the joint holding, and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders.
159. Any notice or document, if served by:
(a) post, shall be deemed to have been served five (5) days after the time when the letter containing the same is posted;
(b) facsimile, shall be deemed to have been served upon production by the transmitting facsimile machine of a report confirming transmission of the facsimile in full to the facsimile number of the recipient;
(c) courier service, shall be deemed to have been served three (3) days after the time when the letter containing the same is delivered to the courier service;
(d) electronic mail, shall be deemed to have been served immediately upon the time of the transmission by electronic mail; or
(e) placing it on the Company’s Website, shall be deemed to have been served immediately upon the time when the same is placed on the Company’s Website.
160. In proving service by post or courier service it shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or documents was properly addressed and duly posted or delivered to the courier service.
161. In the case of joint holders of a Share, all notices shall be given to that one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register of Members in respect of the joint holding, and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders.
162. Any Shareholder present, either personally or by proxy, at any meeting of the Company shall for all purposes be deemed to have received due notice of such meeting and, where requisite, of the purposes for which such meeting was convened.
163. Any summons, notice, order or other document required to be sent to or served upon the Company, or upon any officer of the Company may be sent or served by leaving the same or sending it through the post in a prepaid letter envelope or wrapper, addressed to the Company or to such officer at the Registered Office.
164. Any notice or document delivered or sent by post to or left at the registered address of any Shareholder in pursuance of these Articles shall notwithstanding that such Shareholder be then dead, insane, bankrupt or dissolved, and whether or not the Company has notice of such death, insanity, bankruptcy or dissolution, be deemed to have been duly served in respect of any Share registered in the name of such Shareholder as sole or joint holder, unless the Shareholder’s name shall at the time of the service of the notice or document, have been removed from the Register of Members as the holder of the Share, and such service shall for all purposes be deemed a sufficient service of such notice or document on all persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under such Shareholder) in the Share.
WINDING UP AND FINAL DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS
165. The Directors may present a winding up petition on behalf of the Company without the sanction of a resolution of the Shareholders passed at a general meeting.
166. If the Company shall be wound up, the liquidator shall apply the assets of the Company in satisfaction of creditors’ claims in such manner and order as such liquidator thinks fit.
167. If the Company shall be wound up, and the assets available for distribution amongst the Shareholders shall be insufficient to repay the whole of the share capital, such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the Shareholders in proportion to the par value of the Shares held by them. If in a winding up the assets available for distribution amongst the Shareholders shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst the Shareholders in proportion to the par value of the Shares held by them at the commencement
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of the winding up subject to a deduction from those Shares in respect of which there are monies due of all monies payable to the Company for unpaid calls or otherwise. This Article is without prejudice to the rights of the holders of Shares issued upon special terms and conditions.
168. If the Company shall be wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary, under supervision or by the Court) the liquidator may, with the authority of a Special Resolution, divide among the Shareholders in specie the whole or any part of the assets of the Company, and whether or not the assets shall consist of property of a single kind, and may for such purposes set such value as the liquidator deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property, and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the Shareholders. The liquidator may, with the like authority, vest any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of Shareholders as the liquidator, with the like authority, shall think fit, and the liquidation of the Company may be closed and the Company dissolved, but so that no Shareholder shall be compelled to accept any Shares in respect of which there is liability.
INDEMNITY
169. To the extent permitted by law, every Director (including any alternate director), Secretary or officer of the Company and their personal representatives shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company against:
(a) all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by the existing or former Director (including alternate director), Secretary or officer in or about the conduct of the Company’s business or affairs or in the execution or discharge of the existing or former Director (including alternate director), Secretary’s or officer’s duties, powers, authorities or discretions; and
(b) without limitation to paragraph (a) above, all costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by the existing or former Director (including alternate director), Secretary or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative proceedings (whether threatened, pending or completed) concerning the Company or its affairs in any court or tribunal, whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere,
except to the extent arising out of such person’s (each, an Indemnified Person) own dishonesty, wilful default or fraud.
170. To the extent permitted by law, the Company may make a payment, or agree to make a payment, whether by way of advance, loan or otherwise, for any legal costs incurred by an Indemnified Person in respect of any matter identified in above on condition that such person must repay the amount paid by us to the extent that it is ultimately found not liable to indemnify the Indemnified Person for those legal costs.
171. The Directors shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of any person who is or was a Director or officer of the Company indemnifying them against any liability which may lawfully be insured against by the Company.
DISCLOSURE
172. Any Director, officer or authorised agent of the Company shall, if lawfully required to do so under the laws of any jurisdiction to which the Company is subject or in compliance with the Designated Stock Exchange Rules or in accordance with any contract entered into by the Company, be entitled to release or disclose any information in their possession regarding the affairs of the Company including, without limitation, any information contained in the Register of Members.
173. Subject to the relevant laws, rules and regulations applicable to the Company, no Shareholder shall be entitled to require discovery of any information in respect of any detail of the Company’s trading or any information which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret process which may relate to the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of the Board would not be in the interests of the Shareholders of the Company to communicate to the public.
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174. Subject to due compliance with the relevant laws, rules and regulations applicable to the Company, the Board shall be entitled to release or disclose any information in its possession, custody or control regarding the Company or its affairs to any of its Shareholders, including, without limitation, information contained in the Register of Members and transfer books of the Company.
CLOSING REGISTER OF MEMBERS OR FIXING RECORD DATE
175. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders who are entitled to receive notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Shareholders or any adjournment thereof, or the Shareholders who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution, or in order to make a determination of Shareholders for any other purpose, the Directors may, after notice has been given by advertisement in an appointed newspaper or any other newspaper or in any other way permitted under the Designated Stock Exchange Rules, the rules and regulations of the Commission or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise under applicable law, provide that the Register of Members shall be closed for transfers for a stated period which shall not in any case exceed forty (40) days.
176. In lieu of or apart from closing the Register of Members, the Directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any determination of Shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Shareholders and for the purpose of determining the Shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend the Directors may either before or on the date of declaration of such dividend fix a date as the record date for such determination.
177. If no record date is fixed for the determination of Shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of Shareholders or Shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is mailed or the date on which the resolution of the Directors declaring such dividend is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of Shareholders. When a determination of Shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting has been made in the manner provided in the preceding Article, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof.
REGISTRATION BY WAY OF CONTINUATION
178. The Company may by Special Resolution resolve to be registered by way of continuation in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing. The Directors may cause an application to be made to the Registrar of Companies to deregister the Company in the Cayman Islands or such other jurisdiction in which it is for the time being incorporated, registered or existing and may cause all such further steps as they consider appropriate to be taken to effect the transfer by way of continuation of the Company.
FINANCIAL YEAR
179. The Directors shall determine the financial year of the Company and may change the same from time to time. Unless they determine otherwise, the financial year shall end on 30 June in each year.
AMENDMENTS TO MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
180. The Company may from time to time alter or add to these Articles or alter or add to the Memorandum with respect to any objects, powers or other matters specified therein by passing a Special Resolution in the manner prescribed by the Companies Act.
CAYMAN ISLANDS DATA PROTECTION
181. The Company is a “data controller” for the purposes of the Data Protection Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands (the DPA). By virtue of subscribing for and holding Shares in the Company, Shareholders provide the Company with certain information (Personal Data) that constitutes “personal data” under the DPA. Personal Data includes, without limitation, the following information relating to a Shareholder and/or any natural person(s) connected with a Shareholder (such as a Shareholder’s individual directors, members and/or beneficial owner(s)): name, residential address, email address, corporate contact information, other contact information, date of birth, place of birth, passport or other national identifier details, national insurance or social security number, tax identification, bank account details and information regarding assets, income, employment and source of funds.
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182. The Company processes such Personal Data for the purposes of:
(a) performing contractual obligations (including under the Memorandum and these Articles);
(b) complying with legal or regulatory obligations (including those relating to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, preventing and detecting fraud, sanctions, automatic exchange of tax information, requests from governmental, regulatory, tax and law enforcement authorities, beneficial ownership and the maintenance of statutory registers); and
(c) the legitimate interests pursued by the Company or third parties to whom Personal Data may be transferred, including to manage and administer the Company, to send updates, information and notices to Shareholders or otherwise correspond with Shareholders regarding the Company, to seek professional advice (including legal advice), to meet accounting, tax reporting and audit obligations, to manage risk and operations and to maintain internal records.
183. The Company transfers Personal Data to certain third parties who process the Personal Data on the Company’s behalf, including third party service providers that it appoints or engages to assist with its management, operation, administration and legal, governance and regulatory compliance. In certain circumstances, the Company may be required by law or regulation to transfer Personal Data and other information with respect to one or more Shareholders to a governmental, regulatory, tax or law enforcement authority. That authority may, in turn, exchange this information with another governmental, regulatory, tax or law enforcement authority established in or outside the Cayman Islands
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