EXHIBIT 10.1
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”),
made in New York, New York as of January 22, 2007, between SIGA
Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and Ayelet Dugary
(“Executive”).
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ Executive
as its Director of Finance and Controller, and Executive desires to
accept such employment on the terms and conditions hereinafter set
forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual
covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the Company and
Executive agree as follows:
1. Term
. Unless earlier terminated in accordance with Section 4
hereof, the term of this Agreement shall be the one-year period
commencing as of the date hereof and ending on January 22, 2008
(the “Term” and such year, a “Term
Year”). In addition, unless either party hereto provides
notice of its desire not to renew this Agreement thirty (30) days
prior to the expiration of the Term, this Agreement shall
automatically renew for additional one (1) year periods commencing
upon the expiration of the initial Term (or any such subsequent
Term), with each such additional year thereafter being made part of
the Term and each such additional year, thereafter a Term
Year.
(a)
Employment by the Company; Director . Executive
agrees to be employed by the Company during the Term upon the terms
and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement. Executive shall serve as the Director of
Finance and Controller of the Company and shall report to the
Board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer of the
Company.
(b)
Performance of Duties . Throughout her employment
with the Company, Executive shall faithfully and diligently perform
Executive’s duties in conformity with the directions of the
Company and serve the Company to the best of Executive’s
ability. Executive shall devote her full business time
and best efforts to the business and affairs of the
Company. In her capacity as the Director of Finance and
Controller of the Company, Executive shall have such duties and
responsibilities as he may be assigned by the Board
of Directors and Chief Financial Officer of the Company not
inconsistent with her position as Director of Finance and
Controller of the Company.
3.
Compensation and Benefits .
(a) Base
Salary . The Company agrees to pay to Executive a
base salary (“Base Salary”) at the annual rate of
$180,000, subject to any cost of living adjustments as may be
approved by the Board of Directors of the
Company. Payments of the Base Salary shall be payable in
equal installments in accordance with the Company’s standard
payroll practices.
(b) Annual
Bonus . The Company will pay Executive an
annual cash bonus of $40,000. The Company may also, in
its sole discretion, pay to Executive an additional bonus in an
amount to be determined by the Board of Directors in its sole
discretion. Such additional bonus, if any,
may be payable in cash or options to purchase Common Stock or
restricted shares of Common Stock, as determined by the Board of
Directors in its sole discretion. Any such cash bonus
shall be paid, and any such options or restricted shares shall be
issued, no later than March 15 of the year following the year in
which the Board of Directors determined such bonus, or, if later,
by the date that is 2½ months following the end of the
Company’s fiscal year in which the Board of Directors
determined such bonus.
(c) Benefits
and Perquisites . Executive shall be entitled to
participate in, to the extent Executive is otherwise eligible under
the terms thereof, the benefit plans and programs, and receive the
benefits and perquisites, generally provided by the Company to
senior executives of the Company, including without limitation
family medical insurance (subject to applicable employee
contributions). Executive shall be entitled to receive
vacation days in accordance with Company policy, such days to be
accrued in accordance with Company policy.
(d) Business
Expenses . The Company agrees to reimburse Executive
for all reasonable and necessary travel, business entertainment and
other business expenses incurred by Executive in connection with
the performance of her duties under this Agreement. Such
reimbursements shall be made by the Company on a timely basis upon
submission by Executive of vouchers in accordance with the
Company’s standard procedures.
(e)
Indemnification . The Company shall indemnify
Executive, to the fullest extent permitted by its certificate of
incorporation, for any and all liabilities to which he may be
subject as a result of, in connection with or arising out of her
employment by the Company hereunder, as well as the costs and
expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) of any legal
action brought or threatened to be brought against her or the
Company as a result of, in connection with or arising out of such
employment or board service. Executive shall be entitled
to the full protection of any insurance policies which the Company
may elect to maintain generally for the benefit of its
officers.
(f) No Other
Compensation or Benefits; Payment . The compensation
and benefits specified in this Section 3 and in Section 5 of this
Agreement shall be in lieu of any and all other compensation and
benefits. Payment of all compensation and benefits to
Executive specified in this Section 3 and in Section 5 of this
Agreement (i) shall be made in accordance with the relevant Company
policies in effect from time to time to the extent the same are
consistently applied, including normal payroll practices, and (ii)
shall be subject to all legally required and customary
withholdings.
(g)
Cessation of Employment . In the event Executive
shall cease to be employed by the Company for any reason,
Executive’s compensation and benefits shall cease on the date
of such event, except as otherwise specifically provided herein or
in any applicable employee benefit plan or program or as required
by law.
4.
Termination of Employment . Executive’s
employment hereunder may be terminated prior to the end of the Term
under the following circumstances.
(a)
Death . Executive’s employment hereunder
shall terminate upon Executive’s death.
(b)
Executive Becoming Totally Disabled . The Company
may terminate Executive’s employment hereunder at any time
after Executive becomes “Totally
Disabled.” For purposes of this Agreement,
Executive shall be “Totally Disabled” in the event
Executive is unable to perform the duties and responsibilities
contemplated under this Agreement for a period of either (A) 120
consecutive days or (B) 6 months in any 12-month period due to
physical or mental incapacity or impairment. During any
period that Executive fails to perform Executive’s duties
hereunder as a result of incapacity due to physical or mental
illness (the “Disability Period”), Executive shall
continue to receive the compensation and benefits provided by
Section 3 of this Agreement until Executive’s employment
hereunder is terminated; provided, however, that the amount of base
compensation and benefits received by Executive during the
Disability Period shall be reduced by the aggregate amounts, if
any, payable to Executive under any disability benefit plan or
program provided to Executive by the Company.
(c)
Termination by the Company for Cause . The
Company may terminate Executive’s employment hereunder for
Cause at any time after providing written notice to
Executive. For purposes of this Agreement, the term
“Cause” shall mean any of the following: (i)
Executive’s neglect or failure or refusal to perform her
duties under this Agreement (other than as a result of total or
partial incapacity due to physical or mental illness); (ii) any act
by or omission of Executive constituting gross negligence or
willful misconduct in connection with the performance of her duties
that could reasonably be expected to materially injure the
reputation, business or business relationships of the Company or
any of its affiliates; (iii) perpetration of an intentional and
knowing fraud against or affecting the Company or any of its
affiliates or any customer, client, agent, or employee thereof;
(iv) the commission by or indictment of Executive for (A) a felony
or (B) any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, deceit,
dishonesty or fraud (“indictment,” for these purposes,
meaning a United States-based indictment, probable cause hearing or
any other procedure pursuant to which an initial determination of
probable or reasonable cause with respect to such offense is made);
(v) the breach of a covenant set forth in Section 6; or (vi) any
other material breach of this Agreement.
(d)
Termination by the Company Without Cause . The
Company may terminate Executive’s employment hereunder at any
time for any reason or no reason by giving Executive thirty (30)
days prior written notice of the termination. Following
any such notice, the Company may reduce or remove any and all of
Executive’s duties, positions and titles with the
Company.
(e)
Termination by Executive for Good Reason
. Executive may terminate her employment hereunder for
Good Reason at any time after providing written notice to the
Company. For purposes of this Agreement, the term
“Good Reason” shall mean any of the
following: (i) the Company fails to pay the compensation
described in Section 3(a) of this Agreement (in accordance with,
and subject to, such provisions); (ii) Executive no longer holds
the office of Director of Finance and Controller or
offices of equivalent stature, or her functions
and/or duties
as Director of Finance and Controller are materially
diminished; or (iii) Executive’s job site is relocated to a
location which is more than fifty (50) miles from New York City,
unless the parties mutually agree to such relocation.
(f)
Termination Upon a Change in Control . If the
Company terminates Executive’s employment hereunder without
Cause within 90 days after the occurrence of the Change in Control
Executive shall be entitled to the payments provided for by Section
5(d). For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in
Control” shall be conclusively deemed to have occurred if any
of the following shall have taken place:
(i) the
consummation of a transaction or a series of related transactions
pursuant to which any “person” (as such term is used in
Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(“Exchange Act”), other than the Executive, her
designee(s) or “affiliate(s)” (as defined in Rule 12b-2
under the Exchange Act), is or becomes the “beneficial
owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act),
directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing
forty percent (40%) or more of the combined voting power of the
Company’s then outstanding securities;
(ii) stockholders
of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company
with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which
would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding
immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities
of the surviving entity) more than eighty percent (80%) of the
combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or
such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or
consolidation; or
(iii) the stockholders
of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the
Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company
of, or the Company sells or disposes of, all or substantially all
of the Company’s assets.
(g)
Termination by Executive Without Good Reason
. Executive may terminate her employment hereunder at
any time for any reason or no reason by giving the Company thirty
(30) days prior written notice of the
termination. Following any such notice, the Company may
reduce or remove any and all of Executive’s duties, positions
and titles with the Company, and any such reduction or removal
shall not constitute Good Reason.
5.
Compensation Following Termination . In the event
that Executive’s employment hereunder is terminated,
Executive shall be entitled only to the following compensation and
benefits upon such termination:
(a)
General . On any termination of Executive’s
employment prior to the end of the Term, Executive shall be
entitled to the following (collectively, the “Standard
Termination Payments”):
(i) any accrued
but unpaid Base Salary for services rendered through the date of
termination; provided, however, that in the event Executive’s
employment is terminated pursuant to Section 4(b), the amount of
Base Salary received by Executive during the Disability Period
shall be reduced by the aggregate amounts, if any, payable
to
Executive under
any disability benefit plan or program provided to Executive by the
Company;
(ii) any
vacation accrued to the date of termination, in accordance with
Company policy;
(iii) any accrued
but unpaid expenses through the date of termination required to be
reimbursed in accordance with Section 3(d) of this Agreement;
and
(iv) any benefits
to which he may be entitled upon termination pursuant to the plans,
programs and grants referred to in Section 3(c) hereof in
accordance with the terms of such plans, programs and
grants.
(b)
Termination Prior to the Expiration of the Term by Reason of
Death or Executive Becoming Totally Disabled; Termination Prior to
the Expiration of the Term by the Company for Cause; Termination
Prior to the Expiration of the Term by Executive Without Good
Reason . In the event that Executive’s
employment is terminated prior to the expiration of the Term (i) by
reason of Executive’s death pursuant to Section 4(a) or
Executive becoming Totally Disabled pursuant to Section 4(b), (ii)
by the Company for Cause pursuant to Section 4(c) or (iii) by
Executive without Good Reason pursuant to Section 4(g), Executive
(or her estate, as the case may be) shall be entitled only to the
Standard Termination Payments.
(c)
Termination Prior to the Expiration of the Term by the Company
Without Cause; Termination Prior to the Expiration of the Term by
Executive for Good Reason . In the event that
Executive’s employment is terminated prior to the expiration
of the Term by the Company without Cause pursuant to Section 4(d)
or by Executive for Good Reason pursuant to Section 4(e), Executive
shall be entitled only to the following:
(i) the Standard
Termination Payments; and
(ii) the
continued payment of the Base Salary (as determined pursuant to
Section 3(a)) for one year (such sums to be paid at the times and
in the amounts such Base Salary would have been paid had
Executive’s employment not terminated); provided, however,
that if necessary to comply with Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),
and applicable administrative guidance and regulations, the payment
of such sums shall be made as follows: (A) no payments
shall be made for a six-month period following the date of
termination, (B) an amount equal to six months of Base Salary shall
be paid in a lump sum six months following the date of termination,
and (C) during the period beginning six months following the date
of termination through the remainder of the twelve-month period,
payment of the Base Salary shall be made at the times and in the
amounts such Base Salary would have been paid had Executive’s
employment not terminated.
(iii) the Company
shall take all such action as is necessary such that all stock
options and other stock-based grants to Executive shall,
immediately and irrevocably vest and become exercisable as of the
date of termination and shall remain exercisable for a period of
not less than one (1) year from the date of termination.
(d)
Termination Upon a Change of Control . In the
event that the Company terminates Executive’s employment upon
a Change in Control other than for Cause pursuant to Section 4(f),
Executive shall be entitled only to the following:
(i) the
Standard Termination Payments;
(ii) the
continued payment of the Base Salary (as determined pursuant to
Section 3(a)) for one year (such sums to be paid at the times and
in the amounts such Base Salary would have been paid had
Executive’s employment not terminated); provided, however,
that if necessary to comply with Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),
and applicable administrative guidance and regulations, the payment
of such sums shall be made as follows: (A) no payments
shall be made for a six-month period following the date of
termination, (B) an amount equal to six months of Base Salary shall
be paid in a lump sum six months following the date of termination,
and (C) during the period beginning six months following the date
of termination through the remainder of the twelve-month period,
payment of the Base Salary shall be made at the times and in the
amounts such Base Salary would have been paid had Executive’s
employment not terminated; and
(iii) the
Company shall take all such action as is necessary such that all
stock options and other stock-based grants to Executive shall,
immediately and irrevocably vest and become exercisable as of the
date of termination and shall remain exercisable for a period of
not less than one (1) year from the date of termination.
(e) Effect
of Material Breach of Section 6 on Compensation and Benefits
Following Termination of Employment Pursuant to Sections 5(c)(ii)
or 5(d)(ii) . If,