Table of Contents
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Clause
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Subject Matter
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Page
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1.
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Interpretation
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2
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2.
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Grant of Options
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6
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3.
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Vesting Schedule and Performance Conditions
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8
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4.
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Lapse and Suspension Of Options
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9
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5.
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Exercise of Options
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11
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6.
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Manner of Exercise Of Options
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14
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7.
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Tax Liabilities
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15
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8.
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Relationship with Employment Contract
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16
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9.
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Takeovers
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17
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10.
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Sale
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18
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11.
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Listing
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19
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12.
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Variation of Share Capital
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20
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13.
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Notices
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20
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14.
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Administration and Amendment
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22
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15.
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Governing Law
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23
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16.
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Jurisdiction
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23
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17.
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Third Party Rights
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24
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18.
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Data Protection
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24
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1. |
Interpretation
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1.1 |
The following definitions and rules of interpretation apply in the Plan.
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Exercise Price
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the price at which each Share subject to an Option may be acquired on the exercise of that Option, which (subject to rule 12):
(a) if Shares are to be newly issued to satisfy the exercise of the Option, may not be less than the nominal value of a Share;
(b) may not be less than the Market Value of a Share on the Date of Grant.
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Grantor
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the person granting an Option, that may be:
(a) the Company; or
(b) the trustees of an employee benefit trust authorised by the Board to grant Options at the relevant time; or
(c) any other person so authorised
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Group
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the Company and any other Constituent Companies from time to time;
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HMRC
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HM Revenue & Customs;
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ITEPA 2003
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the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003;
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Listing
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the listing of the securities of the Company on the London Stock Exchange (including the AIM Market) or any recognised investment exchange (as defined in section 285 of the financial Services and Market Act
2000) including NASDAQ and NASDAQ Europe and their respective share dealing markets and the Listing shall be treated as occurring on the day on which trading of the securities of the Company begins;
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Listing Rules
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the Listing Rules issued by the United Kingdom Listing Authority, as amended from time to time;
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Market Value
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market value determined in accordance with the applicable provisions of Part VIII of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, provided that if Shares are subject to a Relevant Restriction, Market Value of
those Shares shall be determined as if they were not subject to a Relevant Restriction;
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Model Code
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the model code on dealings in shares set out in the Listing Rules.
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NICs
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National Insurance contributions;
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Option
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a right to acquire Shares granted under the Plan;
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Option Certificate
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Option Holder
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an individual who holds an Option or, where applicable, his Personal Representatives;
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Option Shares
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the Shares over which an Option subsists;
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Performance Condition
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any condition set under rule 3that:
(a) must be met before an Option can be exercised at all; and/or
(b) provides that the extent to which an Option becomes capable of exercise shall be determined by reference to performance over a certain period measured against specified
targets.
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Personal Data
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any personal information which could identify an Option Holder including Options held under the Plan or under any other employee share scheme operated by the Company;
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Personal Representatives
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in relation to an Option Holder, the personal representatives of the Option Holder (being either the executors of his will to whom a valid grant of probate has been made or, if he dies intestate, the duly
appointed administrator(s) of his estate) who have produced to the Company evidence of their appointment as such;
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Plan
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the employee share option plan constituted and governed by these rules, as amended from time to time;
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Relevant Offer
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either:
(a) a general offer to acquire the whole of the issued share capital of the Company which is either unconditional or which is made on a condition such that if it is satisfied the person making the offer will have Control of
the Company; or
(b) a general offer to acquire all the Shares,
and for these purposes the reference to the "whole of the issued share capital" and "all the Shares" shall not be taken to include any capital or Shares held by the person making the offer or a person
Connected with that person, and it does not matter whether the offer is made to different shareholders by different means;
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Relevant Restriction
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any provision included in any contract, agreement, arrangement or condition to which any of sections 423(2), 423(3) and 423(4) of ITEPA 2003 would apply if references in those sections to employment-related
securities were references to Shares;
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Sale
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an unconditional agreement being entered into for the sale to a person other than a Constituent Company, of the whole, or substantially the whole, of the business and assets of the Company;
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Share Incentive Scheme
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any arrangement to provide employees and/or directors with shares;
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Shares
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£0.0001 ordinary shares in the Company (subject to rule 12);
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Subsidiary
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has the meaning given in section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006
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Sufficient Shares
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the smallest number of Shares that, when sold, will produce an amount at least equal to the relevant Tax Liability (after deduction of brokerage and any other charges or taxes on the sale);
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Takeover
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Tax Liability
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the total of:
(a) any PAYE income tax and primary class 1 (employee) NICs (or any similar liability to withhold amounts in respect of income tax or social security contribution in any
jurisdiction) that any employer (or former employer) of an Option Holder is liable to account for as a result of the exercise of an Option; and
(b) if the relevant Option includes the requirement specified in rule 7.2 any Employer NICs that any employer (or former employer) of an Option Holder is liable to pay as a result
of the exercise of an Option.
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United Kingdom Listing
Authority
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the Financial Conduct Authority (or any successor body carrying out the same functions), acting in its capacity as the competent authority for the
purposes of Part VI of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
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Vested Shares
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Shares which, subject to the following rules of the Plan, may be acquired by the exercise of an Option in accordance with these rules either immediately or at some future time in consequence of either:
(a) the time that has elapsed since the Date of Grant; or
(b) one or more Performance Conditions having been met.; and
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Vesting Schedule
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1.2 |
Rule headings shall not affect the interpretation of the Plan.
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1.3 |
Unless the context otherwise requires, words in the singular shall include the plural and in the plural shall include the singular.
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1.4 |
Unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to one gender shall include a reference to the other genders.
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1.5 |
A reference to a statute or statutory provision is a reference to it as amended, extended or re-enacted from time to time.
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1.6 |
A reference to a statute or statutory provision shall include all subordinate legislation made from time to time under that statute or statutory provision.
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1.7 |
A reference to writing or written includes fax and e-mail.
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1.8 |
Any obligation on a party not to do something includes an obligation not to allow that thing to be done.
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1.10 |
References to rules are to the rules of the Plan.
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2. |
Grant of Options
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2.1 |
Subject to the rules of the Plan, any Grantor may grant Options to any Employee it chooses at its absolute discretion.
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2.2 |
Options may not be granted at any time when that grant would be prohibited by, or in breach of any:
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2.2.1 |
law; or
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2.2.2 |
regulation with the force of law; or
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2.4 |
An Option shall be granted by the Grantor executing an Option Certificate. Each Option Certificate shall be sent to the relevant Option Holder and shall specify (without limitation):
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2.4.1 |
the Date of Grant of the Option;
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2.4.2 |
the number and class of the Shares over which the Option is granted;
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2.4.3 |
the Exercise Price;
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2.4.4 |
the date(s) after which the Option, or part of the Option, may be exercised, unless an earlier event occurs to cause the Option to lapse or to become exercisable, in whole or in part.
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2.4.5 |
the date when the Option will lapse, assuming that the Option is not exercised earlier and no event occurs to cause the Option to lapse earlier.
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2.4.6 |
any Performance Conditions , and the method by which the Performance Conditions may be varied or waived;
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2.4.7 |
whether or not the shares are subject to any Relevant Restrictions and, if so, the nature of the Relevant Restrictions; and
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2.4.8 |
2.5 |
No amount shall be paid for the grant of an Option.
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3. |
Vesting Schedule and Performance Conditions
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3.1 |
An Option may be granted subject to either, or both, a Vesting Schedule and Performance Conditions as the Board shall determine.
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3.4 |
A Performance Condition may be specified to apply to the whole or part only of an Option.
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3.7 |
The Board shall determine whether, and to what extent, any Performance Conditions have been satisfied.
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3.8.1 |
whether (and, if relevant, to what extent) the Performance Condition has been satisfied and the relevant Option has therefore vested;
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3.8.2 |
of any subsequent change in whether, or the extent to which, the Performance Condition has been satisfied;
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3.8.3 |
when that Performance Condition has become incapable of being satisfied in whole or in part; and
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3.8.4 |
of any waiver or variation of that Performance Condition under rule 3.5 or rule 3.6.
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3.8.5 |
the number of Shares in respect of which an Option shall become vested on any occasion shall be rounded to the nearest whole number.
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4. |
Lapse and Suspension Of Options
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4.2 |
Subject to rule 5.10, an Option shall lapse on the earliest of the following:
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4.2.1 |
any attempted action by the Option Holder falling within rule 4.1; or
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4.2.2 |
when a Performance Condition applying to the whole Option becomes incapable of being met, as a result of which no part of the Option can be exercised; or
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4.2.3 |
the date on which the Option shall lapse, as specified in the Option Certificate; or
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4.2.4 |
the first anniversary of the Option Holder's death; or
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4.2.5 |
the expiry of any time limit for the exercise of an Option specified in rule 5; or
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4.2.6 |
if rule 4.4 applies, the earliest applicable event specified in rule 4.8; or
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4.2.7 |
if the Board shall have exercised its discretion under rule 5.4, the expiry of the period allowed for exercise of an Option and specified by the Board pursuant to that rule; or
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4.2.8 |
if rule 9 applies, the relevant time specified for the lapse of the Option under that rule; or
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4.3 |
Part of an Option shall lapse where:
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4.3.1 |
a Performance Condition set for that Option has been met in such a way that the Option has become, and shall remain, exercisable only in part; or
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4.3.2 |
a Performance Condition set for part of that Option becomes incapable of being met, as a result of which that part of the Option cannot be exercised; or
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4.3.3 |
Rule 4.4 applies and the Board has determined under rule 5.5 that the Option may be exercised, but only in part.
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4.4 |
4.4.1 |
the Option Holder becomes (or remains) an employee of another Eligible Company at (or about) the same time; or
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4.4.2 |
the Board decides to permit exercise of the Suspended Option under rule 5.5.
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4.5 |
4.6 |
If:
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4.6.1 |
notice to terminate employment is given by or to an Option Holder; and
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4.6.2 |
that termination falls within rule 4.4,
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4.7 |
A Suspended Option shall not become exercisable under these rules unless the Board decides to permit its exercise under rule 5.5.
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4.8 |
Unless it lapses earlier under rule 4.2, a Suspended Option shall lapse:
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4.8.1 |
if the Board has decided that the Suspended Option may be exercised in whole or in part under rule 5.5. at the end of the period during which it may be exercised under that Board decision; or
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4.8.2 |
if the Board has not decided that the Suspended Option may be exercised in whole or in part under rule 5.5, on the earlier of:
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(a) |
the date falling 90 days after the relevant cessation of employment; or
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(b) |
any date on which the Board determines that it will not allow exercise of the Suspended Option under rule 5.5.
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5. |
Exercise of Options
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5.1 |
Subject to rule 5.10, an Option may not in any event be exercised after the tenth anniversary of the Date of Grant.
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5.2 |
Subject to rules 5.3,5.4,5.10,9.1,9.3,9.4,9.5 and 10.2, an Option may only be exercised (if at all) after the earliest to occur of the following:
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5.2.1 |
A Takeover;
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5.2.2 |
The court sanctioning a compromise or arrangement as mentioned in rule 9.5;
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5.2.3 |
A Sale;
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5.2.4 |
A Listing; or
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5.2.5 |
The expiry of the period of one hundred and fourteen months commencing on the first day of the month in which the Date of Grant occurs
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5.5 |
If rule 4.4 applies:
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5.5.2 |
The Board may specify a period for the exercise of a Suspended Option under this rule 5.5 that begins and/or ends before the period for exercise specified in the Option Certificate.
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5.5.3 |
Any period specified by the Board for the exercise of a Suspended Option under this rule 5.5 may not end later than:
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(a) |
the latest date on which that Option could have been exercised under the Option Certificate if it had not become a Suspended Option; and
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(b) |
the date falling 12 months after the relevant cessation of employment if the reason for the cessation is the death of the Option Holder.
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5.5.4 |
An Option to which this rule 5.5 applies:
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(a) |
may be exercised in accordance with the terms of any decision of the Board to permit its exercise under this rule 5.5, subject to rule 4.8; and
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(b) |
shall lapse according to rule 4.3.3 (if applicable) and rule 4.8.
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5.5.5 |
5.6 |
No Option may be exercised when its exercise is prohibited by, or would be a breach of, any of the following that then apply:
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5.6.1 |
the Model Code; or
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5.6.2 |
the AIM rules; or
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5.6.3 |
any other rule, code or set of guidelines (such as a personal dealing code adopted by the Company) with a similar purpose and effect to any part of the Model Code; or
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5.6.4 |
any law or regulation with the force of law.
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5.8 |
An Option may only be exercised to the extent that any Performance Conditions have been met.
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5.9 |
An Option may only be exercised if the Option Holder has:
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5.9.1 |
confirmed his agreement to rule 7 in writing (this confirmation may be included in the exercise notice); and
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5.9.2 |
made any arrangements, or entered into any agreements, required under rule 7.
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6. |
Manner of Exercise Of Options
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6.1 |
Where an Option is exercised in part, the Grantor shall issue a new Option Certificate for the Shares that are still subject to the Option.
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6.2 |
An Option shall be exercised by the Option Holder giving a written exercise notice to the Company (acting as agent for the Grantor if the Grantor is not the Company), that shall:
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6.2.1 |
set out the number of Shares over which the Option Holder wishes to exercise the Option. If that number exceeds the number over which the Option may be validly exercised at the time:
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(a) |
the Option shall be treated as exercised only in respect of that lesser number; and
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(b) |
any excess amount paid to exercise the Option or meet any Tax Liability shall be refunded; and
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6.2.2 |
be made using a form that the Board will approve ;
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6.2.3 |
include a power of attorney appointing the Company as the Option Holder's agent and attorney for the purposes of rule 7.2.2, rule 7.4 and rule 7.5; and
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6.2.4 |
6.3 |
Any exercise notice shall be accompanied by:
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6.3.1 |
payment of an amount equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Shares specified in the notice; and
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6.3.2 |
any payment required under rule 7; and/or
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6.3.3 |
any documents relating to arrangements or agreements required under rules 2.3, 5.7 and 7.
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6.4 |
Any exercise notice shall be invalid:
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6.4.1 |
to the extent that it is inconsistent with the Option Holder's rights under these rules and the Option Certificate; or
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6.4.2 |
if any of the requirements of rule 6.2 or rule 6.3 are not met; or
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6.4.3 |
6.5 |
Shares shall be allotted and issued (or transferred, as appropriate) within 30 days after a valid Option exercise, subject to the other rules of the Plan.
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7. |
Tax Liabilities
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7.1 |
Each Option shall include a requirement that the Option Holder irrevocably agrees to:
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7.1.1 |
pay to the Company, his employer or former employer (as appropriate) the amount of any Tax Liability; or
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7.1.2 |
enter into arrangements to the satisfaction of the Company, his employer or former employer (as appropriate) for payment of any Tax Liability.
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7.2 |
Unless the Constituent Company that employs the relevant Eligible Employee directs that it shall not, each Option shall include a requirement that the Option Holder irrevocably agrees that:
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7.2.1 |
the Company, his employer or former employer (as appropriate) may recover the whole or any part of any Employer NICs from the Option Holder; or
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7.3 |
8. |
Relationship with Employment Contract
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8.2 |
The value of any benefit realised under the Plan by Option Holders shall not be taken into account in determining any pension or similar entitlements.
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8.3.1 |
termination of office or employment with; or
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8.3.2 |
notice to terminate office or employment given by or to,
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8.4.1 |
any company ceasing to be a Constituent Company; or
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8.4.2 |
the transfer of any business from a Constituent Company to any person that is not a Constituent Company.
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8.5 |
An Employee shall not have any right to receive Options, whether or not he has previously been granted any.
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9. |
Takeovers
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9.4 |
If the Board makes a determination pursuant to rule 9.3 and an Option Holder is invited to release his rights under his Option in consideration for either the grant of a replacement option over shares in the acquiring company or the
payment of other compensation and the Option Holder does not agree to release his rights under his Option then his Option shall lapse and cease to be exercisable at the end of the period within which the Option Holder could have accepted
such invitation.
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9.7 |
In this rule 9 a person shall be deemed to have obtained Control of a company if he, and others acting with him, have obtained Control of it together.
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10. |
Sale
|
10.2 |
If the Board anticipates that a Sale may occur, it may invite Option Holders to exercise Options in whole or in part within such period preceding such Sale as the Board may specify and, if an Option is not then exercised, it shall,
unless the Board otherwise determines, lapse and cease to be exercisable at the end of that period.
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11. |
Listing
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11.1.1 |
no such period shall be less than 7 days long; and
|
11.1.2 |
the first such period shall begin within the period of 14 days beginning with the date of Listing; and
|
11.1.3 |
if no exercise period has been specified by the Board, Options may be exercised after the Listing; and
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11.1.5 |
the Board shall specify in writing to the Option Holders, at the same time as issuing notice of the first exercise period, the number and dates of any further exercise periods.
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11.3 |
No such agreement as is mentioned in rule 11.2 shall prevent an Option Holder from immediately disposing of such number of the Shares so acquired (by way of sale for a consideration in cash which is not less than the best consideration
which may be obtained at the time of sale) as is sufficient to enable the Option Holder (after deduction of costs and expenses of sale) to recover the cost of the aggregate Option Price paid and any income tax and National Insurance
contributions due in consequence of such exercise of such Option.
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12. |
Variation of Share Capital
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12.1.1 |
the amendment of any Option granted by a Grantor other than the Company shall require the consent of that Grantor (which shall not be unreasonably withheld);
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13. |
Notices
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13.1 |
Any notice or other communication given under or in connection with the Plan shall be in writing and shall be:
|
13.1.1 |
delivered by hand or by pre-paid first-class post or other next working day delivery service at the appropriate address;
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(a) |
in the case of the Company, its registered office, provided the notice is marked for the attention of the Company Secretary;
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(b) |
in the case of an Option Holder, his home address;
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(c) |
if the Option Holder has died, and notice of the appointment of personal representatives has been given to the Company, any contact address they have specified in such notice; and
|
13.1.2 |
sent by fax to the fax number notified in writing by the recipient to the sender; or
|
13.1.3 |
sent by email to the appropriate email address.
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(a) |
in the case of the Company, the Chief Executive Officer (eliot.forster@immunocore.com);
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(b) |
in the case of the Option Holder, if he is permitted to receive personal emails at work, his work email address; and
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(c) |
in the case of any other Grantor, any email address notified in writing by the Grantor to the sender.
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13.2 |
Any notice or other communication given under this rule 13 shall be deemed to have been received:
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13.2.1 |
if delivered by hand, on signature of a delivery receipt, or at the time the notice is left at the proper address;
|
13.2.2 |
if sent by pre-paid first-class post or other next working day delivery service, at 9.00am on the second Business Day after posting, or at the time recorded by the delivery service;
|
13.2.3 |
if send by fax, at 9.00am on the next Business Day after transmission; and
|
13.2.4 |
if sent by email, at 9.00am on the next Business Day after sending.
|
13.3 |
This rule 13 does not apply to:
|
13.3.1 |
the service of any notice of exercise pursuant to rule 6.2; and
|
13.3.2 |
the service of any proceedings or other documents in any legal action or, where applicable, any arbitration or other method of dispute resolution.
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14. |
Administration and Amendment
|
14.1 |
The Plan shall be administered by the Board.
|
14.2 |
The Board may amend the Plan from time to time, but:
|
14.2.1 |
no material amendment may apply to Options granted before the amendment was made:
|
(a) |
if the Grantor is not the Company, without the consent of the Grantor (which shall not be unreasonably withheld); and
|
(b) |
if the amendment will have a material adverse impact on the rights of the Option Holder:
|
14.2.2 |
no amendment may be made without the prior approval of the Company in general meeting if it would:
|
(a) |
make the terms on which Options may be granted materially more generous; or
|
(b) |
change the definition of Eligible Employee to expand the class of potential Option Holders,
|
14.3 |
The cost of setting up and operating the Plan shall be borne by the Constituent Companies in proportions determined by the Board.
|
14.4 |
Each Grantor other than the Company shall at all times:
|
14.4.1 |
keep sufficient issued Shares available; and/or
|
14.4.2 |
hold sufficient enforceable rights to subscribe for Shares, or to acquire issued Shares,
|
14.5 |
The Board shall determine any question of interpretation and settle any dispute arising under the Plan. In such matters, the Board's decision shall be final.
|
14.6 |
The Company and any other Grantor shall not be obliged to notify any Option Holder of any vesting of an Option or if an Option becomes exercisable or if an Option is due to lapse.
|
14.7 |
The Company, any other Grantor shall not be obliged to provide Option Holders with copies of any materials sent to the holders of Shares.
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15. |
Governing Law
|
16. |
Jurisdiction
|
17. |
Third Party Rights
|
18. |
Data Protection
|
18.2 |
The purposes of the Plan referred to in rule 18.1 include, but are not limited to:
|
18.2.1 |
holding and maintaining details of the Option Holder's Options;
|
18.2.2 |
transferring the Option Holder's Personal Data to the trustee of an employee benefit trust, the Company's registrars or brokers or any administrators of the Plan; and
|
18.2.4 |