Exhibit 10.4
AMENDED AND RESTATED
EMPLOYMENTAGREEMENT
(Kenneth Esterow, President and
Chief Executive Officer, Gullivers Travel
Associates)
AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) dated August 3, 2009
by and between Travelport Limited (formerly TDS Investor (Bermuda)
Ltd.) (the “ Company ”) and Kenneth Esterow (the
“ Executive ”).
WHEREAS, the Company and Executive
previously entered into an Employment Agreement dated
September 26, 2006 (the “Prior
Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the Company and Executive
wish to amend and restate the Prior Agreement as set forth
below;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises and mutual covenants herein and for other good and
valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is acknowledged,
the parties agree as follows:
1. Term of Employment .
Subject to the provisions of Section 7 of this
Agreement, Executive shall continue to be employed by the Company
for a period commencing on September 26, 2009 and ending on
September 26, 2010 (the “Employment Term”) on the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;
provided, however, that commencing with September 26, 2010 and on
each September 26 thereafter (each an “Extension
Date”), the Employment Term shall be automatically extended
for an additional one-year period, unless the Company or Executive
provides the other party hereto 120 days prior written notice
before the next Extension Date that the Employment Term shall not
be so extended.
2. Position .
(a) During the Employment Term,
Executive shall serve as the Company’s President and Chief
Executive Officer, Gullivers Travel Associates
(“GTA”). In such position, Executive shall have
such duties and authority as shall be determined from time to time
by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”)
and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. If requested,
Executive shall also serve as a member of the Board without
additional compensation.
(b) During the Employment Term,
Executive will devote Executive’s full business time and best
efforts to the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder
and will not engage in any other business, profession or occupation
for compensation or otherwise which would conflict or interfere
with the rendition of such services either directly or indirectly,
without the prior written consent of the Board; provided that
nothing herein shall preclude Executive, subject to the prior
approval of the Board, from accepting appointment to or continuing
to serve on any board of directors or trustees of any business
corporation or any charitable organization; provided in each case,
and in the aggregate, that such activities do not conflict or
interfere with the performance of Executive’s duties
hereunder or conflict with Section 8.
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3. Base Salary . During
the Employment Term, the Company shall pay Executive a base salary
at the annual rate of no less than $500,000 payable in regular
installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment
practices. Executive shall be entitled to such increases in
Executive’s base salary, if any, as may be determined from
time to time in the sole discretion of the Board.
Executive’s annual base salary, as in effect from time to
time, is hereinafter referred to as the “Base
Salary.”
4. Annual Bonus . With
respect to each full fiscal year during the Employment Term,
Executive shall be eligible to earn an annual bonus award (an
“Annual Bonus”) of up to one hundred percent (100%) of
Executive’s Base Salary (the “Target”) based upon
the achievement of an annual EBITDA target established by the Board
within the first three months of each fiscal year during the
Employment Term. The Annual Bonus, if any, shall be paid to
Executive within two and one-half (2.5) months after the end of the
applicable fiscal year.
5. Employee Benefits;
Relocation . During the Employment Term, Executive shall
be entitled to participate in the Company’s employee benefit
plans (other than annual bonus and incentive plans) as in effect
from time to time (collectively “Employee Benefits”),
on the same basis as those benefits are generally made available to
other senior executives of the Company. In the event that
Executive relocates his primary business office outside the United
States, the Company shall provide Executive with a market-based
expatriate package comparable to executives at the division CEO
level pursuant to Company policy, and which, subject to such
Company policy, shall include but not be limited to relocation
costs, disposition of current residence, housing allowance, cost of
living adjustment, tax equalization and repatriation assistance, as
applicable; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 5
shall impact Executive’s right to assert a Constructive
Termination pursuant to Section 7(c)(ii) of this
Agreement.
6. Business Expenses .
During the Employment Term, reasonable business expenses incurred
by Executive in the performance of Executive’s duties
hereunder shall be reimbursed by the Company in accordance with
Company policies.
7. Termination . The
Employment Term and Executive’s employment hereunder may be
terminated by either party at any time and for any reason; provided
that Executive will be required to give the Company at least 30
days advance written notice of any resignation of Executive’s
employment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, the provisions of this Section 7 shall exclusively
govern Executive’s rights upon termination of employment with
the Company and its affiliates.
(a) By the Company For
Cause or By Executive Other Than as a Result of a Constructive
Termination.
(i) The Employment Term and
Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated by the
Company for Cause (as defined below) and shall terminate
automatically upon Executive’s resignation other than as a
result of a Constructive Termination (as defined in
Section 7(c)); provided that Executive will be required to
give the Company at least 30 days advance written notice of a
resignation other than as a result of a Constructive
Termination.
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(ii) For purposes of this
Agreement, “Cause” shall mean
(A) Executive’s failure substantially to perform
Executive’s duties to the Company (other than as a result of
total or partial incapacity due to Disability) for a period of 10
days following receipt of written notice from the Company to the
Executive of such failure; provided that it is understood that this
clause (A) shall not apply if a Company terminates
Executive’s employment because of dissatisfaction with
actions taken by Executive in the good faith performance of
Executive’s duties to the Company, (B) theft or
embezzlement of property of the Company or dishonesty in the
performance of Executive’s duties to the Company, other than
de minimis conduct that would not typically result in sanction by
an employer of an executive in similar circumstances,
(C) conviction which is not subject to routine appeals of
right or a plea of “no contest” for (x) a felony
under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or
(y) a crime involving moral turpitude for which the potential
penalty includes imprisonment of at least one year,
(D) Executive’s willful malfeasance or willful
misconduct in connection with Executive’s duties or any act
or omission which is materially injurious to the financial
condition or business reputation of the Company or its affiliates,
or (E) Executive’s breach of the provisions of Sections
8 or 9 of this Agreement (excluding a breach of
Section 9(a) by a statement made by Executive in good
faith in Executive’s employment capacity).
(iii) If Executive’s
employment is terminated by the Company for Cause, or if Executive
resigns other than as a result of a Constructive Termination,
Executive shall be entitled to receive:
(A)
the Base Salary through the date of termination;
(B)
any Annual Bonus earned, but unpaid, as of the date of termination
for the immediately preceding fiscal year, paid in accordance with
Section 4 (except to the extent payment is otherwise deferred
pursuant to any applicable deferred compensation arrangement with
the Company);
(C)
reimbursement, within 60 days following submission by Executive to
the Company of appropriate supporting documentation, for any
unreimbursed business expenses properly incurred by Executive in
accordance with Company policy prior to the date of
Executive’s termination; provided claims for such
reimbursement (accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation)
are submitted to the Company within 90 days following the date of
Executive’s termination of employment; and
(D)
such Employee Benefits, if any, as to which Executive may be
entitled under the employee benefit plans of the Company (the
amounts described in clauses (A) through (D) hereof being
referred to as the “Accrued Rights”).
Following such termination of
Executive’s employment by the Company for Cause or
resignation by Executive other than as a result of a Constructive
Termination, except as set forth in this
Section 7(a)(iii), Executive shall have no further
rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this
Agreement.
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(b) Disability or Death
.
(i) The Employment Term and
Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate upon
Executive’s death and may be terminated by the Company if
Executive becomes physically or mentally incapacitated and is
therefore unable for a period of nine (9) consecutive months
or for an aggregate of twelve (12) months in any eighteen (18)
consecutive month period to perform Executive’s duties (such
incapacity is hereinafter referred to as
“Disability”). Any question as to the existence
of the Disability of Executive as to which Executive and the
Company cannot agree shall be determined in writing by a qualified
independent physician mutually acceptable to Executive and the
Company. If Executive and the Company cannot agree as to a
qualified independent physician, each shall appoint such a
physician and those two physicians shall select a third who shall
make such determination in writing. The determination of
Disability made in writing to the Company and Executive shall be
final and conclusive for all purposes of the Agreement and any
other agreement between any Company and Executive that incorporates
the definition of “Disability”.
(ii) Upon termination of
Executive’s employment hereunder for either Disability or
death, Executive or Executive’s estate (as the case may be)
shall be entitled to receive:
(A)
the Accrued Rights;
(B)
a pro rata portion of any Annual Bonus, if any, that Executive
would have been entitled to receive pursuant to Section 4
hereof in such year based upon the percentage of the fiscal year
that shall have elapsed through the date of Executive’s
termination of employment, payable when such Annual Bonus would
have otherwise been payable to Executive pursuant to Section 4
had Executive’s employment not terminated; and
(C)
vesting of any equity-based awards then held by Executive with
respect to the Company or its affiliates as, and to the extent,
described in the definitive documentation related to such
awards.
Following Executive’s
termination of employment due to death or Disability, except as set
forth in this Section 7(b)(ii), Executive shall have no
further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this
Agreement.
(c) By the Company Without
Cause or Resignation by Executive as a result of Constructive
Termination.
(i) The Employment Term and
Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated by the
Company without Cause or by Executive’s as a result of a
Constructive Termination.
(ii) For purposes of this
Agreement, a “Constructive Termination” shall be deemed
to have occurred upon (A) any material reduction in
Executive’s Base Salary or Annual Bonus (excluding any change
in value of equity incentives or a reduction affecting
substantially all similarly situated executives), (B) failure
of the Company or its affiliates to pay compensation or benefits
when due, in each case which is not cured within 30 days following
the Company’s receipt of written notice from Executive
describing the event constituting a Constructive Termination,
(C) a material and sustained diminution to Executive’s
duties and responsibilities
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as of the date of this Agreement, (D) the
primary business office for Executive being relocated by more than
50 miles from Parsippany, New Jersey, or New York, New York, or to
the United Kingdom, (E) while Executive holds the position
specified in Section 2(a) and the global headquarters of GTA
is located in the United Kingdom, the Company’s refusal to
relocate Executive to the United Kingdom after his written request
to do so, or (F) the Company’s election not to renew the
initial Employment Term or any subsequent extension thereof (except
as a result of Executive’s reaching retirement age, as
determined by Company policy); provided that any of the events
described in clauses (A)-(F) of this
Section 7(c)(ii) shall constitute a Constructive
Termination only if the Company fails to cure such event within 30
days after receipt from Executive of written notice of the event
which constitutes a Constructive Termination; provided, further,
that a “Constructive Termination” shall cease to exist
for an event on the 60th day following the later of its occurrence
or Executive’s knowledge thereof, unless Executive has given
the Company written notice thereof prior to such date.
(iii) If Executive’s
employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (other than
by reason of death or Disability) or if Executive resigns as a
result of a Constructive Termination, Executive shall be entitled
to receive:
(A)
the Accrued Rights;
(B)
a pro rata portion of any Annual Bonus, if any, that Executive
would have been entitled to receive pursuant to Section 4
hereof in such year based upon the percentage of the fiscal year
that shall have elapsed through the date of Executive’s
termination of employment, payable when such Annual Bonus would
have otherwise been payable to Executive pursuant to Section 4
had Executive’s employment not terminated;
(C)
subject to Executive’s execution, delivery, and
non-revocation of a separation agreement and general release
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A
(“the General Release”) within forty-five (45) days
following termination of employment, and further subject to
continued compliance with the provisions of Sections 8 and 9,
(x) payment of two (2) times the sum of both the Base
Salary and Annual Bonus at Target (the “Severance Pay”)
and (y) the executive benefits provided for in the General
Release for a period equal to twenty-four (24) months (or a
lump sum equivalent of such benefits). The Severance Pay
shall be paid as follows: (1) one third (33.3%) of the
Severance Pay in a lump sum as soon as practicable following the
effective date of the General Release, but no later than thirty
(30) days after the execution of the General Release; (2) one
third (33.3%) of the Severance Pay in a lump sum in the pay period
occurring closest to the one hundred eightieth (180
th ) day (“Second Severance Payment
Date”), whether occurring before or after the Second
Severance Payment Date, following the termination of
Executive’s employment; and (3) the final one third
(33.3%) of the Severance Pay in a lump sum in the pay period
occurring closest to the three hundred sixty-fifth (365
th ) day (“Third Severance Payment
Date”), whether occurring before or after the Third
Severance Payment Date, following the termination of
Executive’s employment; provided that the aggregate amount
described in this clause (C) shall be reduced
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by the present value of any other
cash severance benefits payable to Executive under any other
severance plans, programs or arrangements of the Company or its
affiliates (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall exclude any
cash payments related to equity in the Company or its affiliates);
and
(D)
vesting of any equity-based awards then held by Executive with
respect to the Company or its affiliates as, and to the extent,
described in the definitive documentation related to such
awards.
Following Executive’s
termination of employment by the Company without Cause (other than
by reason of Executive’s death or Disability) or by
Executive’s resignation as a result of a Constructive
Termination, except as set forth in this
Section 7(c) (iii), Executive shall have no further
rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this
Agreement.
(d) Expiration of
Employment Term .
(i) Election Not to Extend the
Employment Term. In the event either party elects not to
extend the Employment Term pursuant to Section 1, unless
Executive’s employment is earlier terminated pursuant to
paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 7 and
except as set forth in paragraph (c)(ii) of this
Section 7, Executive’s termination of employment
hereunder (whether or not Executive continues as an employee of the
Company thereafter) shall be deemed to occur on the close of
business on the day immediately preceding the next scheduled
Extension Date and Executive shall be entitled to receive the
Accrued Rights. Following such termination of
Executive’s employment hereunder as a result of either
party’s election not to extend the Employment Term, except as
set forth in this Section 7(d)(i), Executive shall have no
further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this
Agreement.
(ii) Continued Employment
Beyond the Expiration of the Employment Term. Unless the
parties otherwise agree in writing, continuation of
Executive’s employment with the Company beyond the expiration
of the Employment Term shall be deemed an employment at-will and
shall not be deemed to extend any of the provisions of this
Agreement and Executive’s employment may thereafter be
terminated at will by either Executive or the Company; provided
that the provisions of Sections 8, 9 and 10 of this Agreement shall
survive any termination of this Agreement or Executive’s
termination of employment hereunder.
(e) Notice of
Termination . Any purported termination of employment by
the Company or by Executive (other than due to Executive’s
death) shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to
the other party hereto in accordance with Section 11
(i) hereof. For purposes of this Agreement, a
“Notice of Termination” shall mean a notice which shall
indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement
relied upon and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and
circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of
employment under the provision so indicated.
(f) Board/Committee
Resignation . Upon termination of Executive’s
employment for any reason, Executive agrees to resign, as of the
date of such termination and to the extent applicable, from the
Board (and any committees thereof) and the Board of Directors (and
any committees thereof) of any of the Company’s
affiliates.
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8. Non-Competition
.
(a) From the date hereof while
employed by the Company and for a two-year period following the
date Executive ceases to be employed by the Company (the
“Restricted Period”), irrespective of the cause, manner
or time of any termination, Executive shall not use his status with
the Company or any of its affiliates to obtain loans, goods or
services from another organization on terms that would not be
available to him in the absence of his relationship to the Company
or any of its affiliates.
(b) During the Restricted
Period, Executive shall not make any statements or perform any acts
intended to or which may have the effect of advancing the interest
of any Competitors of the Company or any of its affiliates or in
any way injuring the interests of the Company or any of its
affiliates and the Company and its affiliates shall not make or
authorize any person to make any statement that would in any way
injure the personal or business reputation or interests of
Executive; provided however, that, subject to Section 9,
nothing herein shall preclude the Company and its affiliates or
Executive from giving truthful testimony under oath in response to
a subpoena or other lawful process or truthful answers in response
to questions from a government investigation; provided, further,
however, that nothing herein shall prohibit the Company and its
affiliates from disclosing the fact of any termination of
Executive’s employment or the circumstances for such a
termination. For purposes of this Section 8(b), the term
“Competitor” means any enterprise or business that is
engaged in, or has plans to engage in, at any time during the
Restricted Period, any activity that competes with the businesses
conducted during or at the termination of Executive’s
employment, or then proposed to be conducted, by the Company and
its affiliates in a manner that is or would be material in relation
to the businesses of the Company or the prospects for the
businesses of the Company (in each case, within 100 miles of any
geographical area where the Company or its affiliates manufactures,
produces, sells, leases, rents, licenses or otherwise provides its
products or services). During the Restricted Period,
Executive, without prior express written approval by the Board,
shall not (A) engage in, or directly or indirectly (whether
for compensation or otherwise) manage, operate, or control, or join
or participate in the management, operation or control of a
Competitor, in any capacity (whether as an employee, officer,
director, partner, consultant, agent, advisor, or otherwise) or (B)
develop, expand or promote, or assist in the development, expansion
or promotion of, any division of an enterprise or the business
intended to become a Competitor at any time after the end of the
Restricted Period or (C) own or hold a Proprietary Interest
in, or directly furnish any capital to, any Competitor of the
Company. Executive acknowledges that the Company’s and
its affiliates businesses are conducted nationally and
internationally and agrees that the provisions in the foregoing
sentence shall operate throughout the United States and the world
(subject to the definition of “Competitor”).
(c) During the Restricted
Period, Executive, without express prior written approval from the
Board, shall not solicit any members or the then current clients of
the Company or any of its affiliates for any existing business of
the Company or any of its affiliates or discuss with any employee
of the Company or any of its affiliates information or operations
of any business intended to compete with the Company or any of its
affiliates.
(d) During the Restricted
Period, Executive shall not interfere with the employees or affairs
of the Company or any of its affiliates or solicit or induce any
person who is an
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employee of the Company or any of its affiliates
to terminate any relationship such person may have with the Company
or any of its affiliates, nor shall Executive during such period
directly or indirectly engage, employ or compensate, or cause or
permit any person with which Executive may be affiliated, to
engage, employ or compensate, any employee of the Company or any of
its affiliates.
(e) For the purposes of this
Agreement, “Proprietary Interest” means any legal,
equitable or other ownership, whether through stock holding or
otherwise, of an interest in a business, firm or entity; provided,
that ownership of less than 5% of any class of equity interest in a
publicly held company shall not be deemed a Proprietary
Interest.
(f) The period of time during
which the provisions of this Section 8 shall be in effect
shall be extended by the length of time during which Executive is
in breach of the terms hereof as determined by any court of
competent jurisdiction on the Company’s application for
injunctive relief.
(g) Executive agrees that the
restrictions contained in this Section 8 are an essential
element of the compensation Executive is granted hereunder and but
for Executive’s agreement to comply with such restrictions,
the Company would not have entered into this Agreement.
(h) It is expressly understood
and agreed that although Executive and the Company consider the
restrictions contained in this Section 8 to be reasonable, if
a final judicial determination is made by a court of competent
jurisdiction that the time or territory or any other restriction
contained in this Agreement is an unenforceable restriction against
Executive, the provisions of this Agreement shall not be rendered
void but shall be deemed amended to apply as to such maximum time
and territory and to such maximum extent as such court may
judicially determine or indicate to be enforceable.
Alternatively, if any court of competent jurisdiction finds that
any restriction contained in this Agreement is unenforceable, and
such restriction cannot be amended so as to make it enforceable,
such finding shall not affect the enforceability of any of the
other restrictions contained herein.
9. Confidentiality; Intellectual
Property .
(a) Confidentiality
.
(i) Executive will not at any
time (whether during or after Executive’s employment with the
Company) (x) retain or use for the benefit, purposes or account of
Executive or any other person; or (y) disclose, divulge,
reveal, communicate, share, transfer or provide access to any
person outside the Company (other than its professional advisers
who are bound by confidentiality obligations), any non-public,
proprietary or confidential information —including without
limitation trade secrets, know-how, research and development,
software, databases, inventions, processes, formulae, technology,
designs and other intellectual property, information concerning
finances, investments, profits, pricing, costs, products, services,
vendors, customers, clients, partners, investors, personnel,
compensation, recruiting, training, advertising, sales, marketing,
promotions, government and regulatory activities and approvals
— concerning the past, current or future business, activities
and operations of the Company, its subsidiaries or
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affiliates and/or any third party that has
disclosed or provided any of same to the Company on a confidential
basis (“Confidential Information”) without the prior
written authorization of the Board.
(ii) “Confidential
Information” shall not include any information that is
(a) generally known to the industry or the public other than
as a result of Executive’s breach of this covenant or any
breach of other confidentiality obligations by third parties; (b)
made legitimately available to Executive by a third party without
breach of any confidentiality obligation; or (c) required by
law to be disclosed; provided that Executive shall give prompt
written notice to the Company of such requirement, disclose no more
information than is so required, and cooperate, at the
Company’s cost, with any attempts by the Company to obtain a
protective order or similar treatment.
(iii) Except as required by
law, Executive will not disclose to anyone, other than
Executive’s immediate family and legal or financial advisors,
the existence or contents of this Agreement (unless this Agreement
shall be publicly available as a result of a regulatory filing made
by the Company or its affiliates); provided that Executive may
disclose to any prospective future employer the provisions of
Sections 8 and 9 of this Agreement provided they agree to maintain
the confidentiality of such terms.
(iv) Upon termination of
Executive’s employment with the Company for any reason,
Executive shall (x) cease and not thereafter commence use of any
Confidential Information or intellectual property (including
without limitation, any patent, invention, copyright, trade secret,
trademark, trade name, logo, domain name or other source indicator)
owned or used by the Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates;
(y) immediately destroy, delete, or return to the
Com