Execution
Copy
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 4,
2007
BETWEEN
THE CHILDREN’S PLACE
RETAIL STORES, INC.
AND
SUSAN J.
RILEY
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of February 4,
2007 (this “Agreement”), between SUSAN J. RILEY
(“Executive”) and THE CHILDREN’S PLACE RETAIL
STORES, INC., a Delaware corporation
(“Employer”).
WHEREAS, Employer and Executive entered into a
certain Offer Letter dated as of March 13, 2006 (“Offer
Letter”); and
WHEREAS, this Agreement replaces and supersedes
the Offer Letter in its entirety;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises
and the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the
parties agree as follows:
SECTION
1
EMPLOYMENT OF
EXECUTIVE
Employer hereby
agrees to continue to employ Executive, and Executive hereby agrees
to continue in the employ of Employer, upon the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth.
SECTION
2
EMPLOYMENT PERIOD
The terms of
Executive’s employment under this Agreement (the
“Employment Period”) shall commence as of February 4,
2007 (the “Commencement Date”) and shall continue until
terminated in accordance with the provisions of
Section 5.
SECTION
3
DUTIES
3.01.
Generally . During the Employment Period, Executive (i)
shall be employed as Executive Vice President, Finance and
Administration of Employer, (ii) shall devote all of her business
time and attention to the business and affairs of Employer and
other enterprises controlled by, or under common control with,
Employer (collectively, the “Company”), and (iii) shall
use her best efforts, skills and abilities in the diligent and
faithful performance of her duties and responsibilities hereunder.
As Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration of the
Company, Executive shall play the role in the management of the
Company’s business and affairs and shall have the authority
and responsibilities provided by the resolution of the Board of
Directors of Employer adopted on January 31, 2007 (including the
role, authority and responsibilities, along with the Chief
Executive Officer, of a principal executive officer of Employer for
purposes of the pertinent filings and submissions of
Employer’s under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”)); provided, however, that
the Board of Directors of Employer may from time to time change the
role, authority and responsibilities of Executive as long as (i)
Executive shall continue to be the senior officer of the Company
with responsibility for the Company’s financial, accounting,
treasury and internal audit functions and Employer’s General
Counsel shall report to Executive as well as to the Chief Executive
Officer of Employer and the Board of Directors, (ii)
Executive’s reporting responsibilities shall be as provided
in subsection 3.02 below and (iii) the role, authority and
responsibilities assigned to Executive shall be consistent with her
role as a senior executive of Employer. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Executive shall have the right to (i) engage in personal
investment activities for herself and her family and (ii) engage in
charitable and civic activities, provided the outside activities
set forth in (i) and (ii) hereof do not interfere with
Executive’s performance of her duties and responsibilities
hereunder. Except for Executive’s current position as a
member of the board of directors of PJM Interconnection, Executive
shall not serve as an officer or director of any other business
corporation or as a general partner of any partnership except with
the prior written approval of the Board of Directors of Employer or
an authorized committee thereof.
3.02.
Reporting . Commencing with the date hereof
and until otherwise directed by the Board of Directors of Employer
in accordance with the following provisions of this subsection
3.02, Executive shall report dually to the Chief Executive Officer
of Employer and to the Board of Directors of Employer. In reporting
to the Board of Directors of Employer, Executive shall on a regular
basis report to the Chair of the Board of Directors.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a change in Chief
Executive Officer of Employer after the date hereof, if the Board
of Directors so provides, Executive shall report to the Chief
Executive Officer of Employer. Any right, power or discretion of
the Board of Directors of the Employer referred to herein, other
than that referred to in subsection 5.02, may be exercised by any
authorized committee of the Board of Directors of Employer,
including the Compensation Committee.
3.03.
Location of Executive’s
Activities; Travel .
Executive’s principal place of business in the performance of
her duties and obligations under this Agreement shall be in the New
York metropolitan area, which includes Secaucus, New Jersey. For so
long as Employer’s headquarters are located in the New York
City metropolitan area, Executive’s principal place of
business shall be located at such headquarters. Notwithstanding the
foregoing provisions of this subsection, Executive will engage in
such travel and spend time in other places as may be necessary or
appropriate in furtherance of her duties hereunder.
3.04.
Compliance with Company
Policies . During the
Employment Period, Executive will be subject to all of the written
policies, rules and regulations of which Executive is given notice
applicable to senior executives of Employer and will comply with
all directions and instructions of the Board of Directors of
Employer.
SECTION
4
COMPENSATION
4.01.
Base Salary and Performance
Bonus . For all services
rendered by Executive under this Agreement, Employer shall pay to
Executive during and with respect to the Employment Period, and
Executive agrees to accept (in full payment), Base Salary and
Performance Bonus, all as more fully described on Exhibit A, as
well as the other benefits referred to in subsection 4.03, 4.04 and
4.05 below.
4.02.
Vacations.
Executive shall be entitled to four
weeks vacation, and additional vacation as approved by the Chief
Executive Officer of Employer, in each twelve-month period worked,
which shall be taken at such time or times as may be approved by
the Chief Executive Officer of Employer and shall not unreasonably
interfere with Executive’s performance of her duties under
this Agreement.
a. As soon as practicable after the Commencement
Date (but in no event before such time as Employer determines that
Employer is in compliance with the periodic reporting requirements
of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act), Executive shall be granted,
pursuant to and subject to the provisions of Employer’s
Amended and Restated 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended by the
Board of Directors of Employer on June 23, 2006) (the “2005
Equity Plan”), a “Restricted Stock Award” for
15,000 “Restricted Shares” (as such terms are defined
in the 2005 Equity Plan), which Restricted Shares shall be subject
to restrictions on transfer and shall be subject to forfeiture upon
a termination of employment until they vest and shall vest as
follows: 5,000 Restricted Shares on the first anniversary of the
date of grant and 5,000 Restricted Shares on each of the next two
anniversaries thereof, except that any such Restricted Shares which
are then unvested shall vest upon Executive’s death,
disability or the occurrence of a Change in Control as provided by
Section 13(a)(5) of the 2005 Equity Plan. Such Restricted Shares
shall not be subject to any performance-based vesting requirement
and shall not be Performance Awards within the meaning of the 2005
Equity Plan. Such Restricted Shares shall be granted pursuant to a
Restricted Stock Award Agreement in the form approved by the Board
of Directors for general use for comparable grants under the 2005
Equity Plan of Restricted Shares to senior executives.
b. With respect to each fiscal year of Employer
during the Employment Term beginning with the year beginning
February 3, 2008, Executive shall be eligible for participation in
Employer’s plan or program for the award of equity incentives
to executives of Employer on a basis no less favorable to Executive
than the basis on which any other senior executive of Employer,
other than the Chief Executive Officer, is eligible to participate
in such plan or program.
4.04.
Other Benefits
. During the
Employment Period, Executive shall be eligible to receive such
employee benefits (including insurance coverage, participation in
retirement, savings and stock purchase plans and perquisites) as
the Company generally makes available to Employer’s senior
executives from time to time. Except as otherwise specifically
provided by a benefit plan or program established by the Company or
as provided by separate written agreement with the Company,
Executive’s Base Salary shall constitute the compensation on
the basis of which the amount of Executive’s benefits under
any such plan or program shall be determined.
4.05.
Expense Reimbursement.
Employer shall reimburse Executive
for all business expenses reasonably incurred by her in the
performance of her duties under this Agreement upon her
presentation of itemized accounts of such expenses in accordance
with Employer’s procedures and policies as adopted and in
effect from time to time and applicable to its senior executives,
provided that Employer shall be under no obligation to reimburse
Executive for any such business expense presented more than 60 days
after termination of Executive’s employment by
Employer.
SECTION
5
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
PERIOD
5.01.
Termination Without
Cause . At any time
during the Employment Period, by notice to the other, Employer or
Executive may terminate Executive’s employment under this
Agreement without having any cause therefor; provided ,
however , that termination by Employer pursuant to this
subsection 5.01 shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of
the independent members of the Board of Directors. Such notice
shall specify the effective date of termination, which in the case
of termination by Executive shall not be less than 30 days after
the date of such notice. For purposes hereof, the
“independent members” of the Board of Directors shall
mean those members in office at the time who have been determined
to qualify as independent directors for purposes of the listing
standards of the principal U.s. securities market on which the
shares of Common Stock of Employer are then traded.
5.02.
By Employer For Cause
. At any time during the Employment
Period, by notice to Executive, Employer may terminate
Executive’s employment under this Agreement “For
Cause” (as hereinafter defined), effective immediately upon
the giving of such notice or at such other time as is specified in
such notice; provided , however , that termination
pursuant to this subsection 5.02 shall require the affirmative vote
of a majority of the independent members of the Board of Directors
of Employer. Such notice shall specify the cause for termination
and, if the basis thereof is conduct referred to in clause (i)
through (iv) of the next following sentence, Executive shall be
provided a reasonable opportunity before such vote to appear before
the Board of Directors to explain why her conduct either did not
satisfy the provisions of such clause or, notwithstanding the
provisions of such clause, termination of her employment for Cause
is not warranted. For the purposes of this Agreement, “for
Cause” means:
(i) the commission by Executive of any act involving
intentional dishonesty or fraud or other intentional misconduct in
connection with Executive’s employment by the Company;
or
(ii) a breach by Executive of her fiduciary duties to
the Company that was done without a good faith belief that she was
acting in what she reasonably believed to be the best interests of
the Company ; or
(iii) any other material breach of this Agreement that
Executive fails to remedy fully to the reasonable satisfaction of
Employer within ten (10) business days after notice to Executive of
such breach; or
(iv) any conduct, action or behavior by Executive
involving moral turpitude that has or may reasonably be expected to
have a material adverse effect on the reputation or interests of
the Company; or
(v) Executive shall have been barred by a court
order issued under the Exchange Act from serving as a director or
officer of a company registered under Section 12 or filing reports
under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (including an order issued
upon consent without any admission of the charge) or shall have
been convicted of, or have entered a plea of nolo contendere or the
equivalent in respect of a charge of, any criminal act constituting
a felony under the laws of the United States or any state or
political subdivision thereof.
5.03.
By Executive for Good
Reason . Executive may,
at any time during the Employment Period by notice to the Board of
Directors of Employer (delivered to the attention of the Chair of
the Board), terminate the Employment Period under this Agreement
for “Good Reason” effective immediately. For the
purposes hereof, “Good Reason” means:
a. any material breach by Employer of any provision
of this Agreement (including any failure to pay any compensation
due to Executive when and as due) which, if susceptible of being
cured, is not cured within thirty (30) days of delivery of notice
thereof to Employer by Executive;
b. a demotion of Executive’s position or a
material adverse change in Executive’s authority or
responsibility or the assignment to Executive of duties
inconsistent with Executive’s position, responsibilities,
duties or status with Employer, all as provided by Section 2
(including any change in Executive’s reporting
responsibilities from that provided by Section 2), except in
connection with the termination of her employment on account of
Disability (as hereinafter defined) or for Cause;
c. a relocation by Employer of Executive’s
place of employment to a location more than 30 miles outside the
New York City metropolitan area;
d. any purported termination of Executive’s
employment for Cause which fails to satisfy the requirements of
subsection 5.02 hereof.
5.04.
Disability
. If during the Employment Period,
Executive becomes incapable of fulfilling her obligations hereunder
because of injury or physical or mental illness, and such
incapacity exists for a period of at least 120 consecutive days or
for shorter periods aggregating at least 180 days during any period
of twelve consecutive months (“Disability”), Employer
may, upon at least fifteen days’ prior written notice to
Executive, terminate Executive’s employment under this
Agreement. In the event of a dispute with respect to
Executive’s Disability, whether or not she has been disabled
shall be determined by an independent physician reasonably
acceptable to both Employer and Executive or her
representative.
5.05. Normal Retirement . Unless earlier terminated as provided herein,
Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate as of the
end of the fiscal year of Employer following the year in which
Executive reaches normal retirement age as determined in accordance
with Employer’s retirement plan or policies; provided that,
in the absence of a plan or policy approved by the Board of
Directors providing that normal retirement shall occur at a
different age, normal retirement age shall be age 65.
SECTION
6
COMPENSATION UPON TERMINATION OF
EMPLOYMENT
6.01.
Compensation Upon Termination
Without Cause . Subject
to the provisions of subsections 6.03, 6.04 and 6.05, if (A)
Executive’s employment hereunder is terminated by Employer
pursuant to subsection 5.01 without Cause or (B) Executive
terminates her employment with Employer pursuant to subsection 5.03
for “Good Reason,” or (C) Executive terminates her
employment with Employer within one year after the occurrence of a
Change in Control (other than in circumstances where Employer could
terminate Executive’s employment for Cause), Executive shall
be entitled, in addition to any amount of Base Salary and
Performance Bonus theretofore earned but not yet paid, to (1)
continuation of her Base Salary, payable in accordance with the
Company’s normal payroll practices for executives, for a
period of one year following such termination and (2) a pro rata
portion of the Performance Bonus for Employer’s then current
fiscal year based on the portion of the year elapsed through the
day on which the Executive’s termination of employment occurs
calculated based on the target bonus determined for Executive for
such year under Employer’s Annual Management Incentive Bonus
Plan; provided, however, that, if at the time notice of termination
of Executive’s Employment Period is given, (i) the amount of
Executive’s Performance Bonus for the previous fiscal year is
not then determinable in accordance with Employer’s Annual
Management Incentive Bonus Plan, the amount thereof shall be
Executive’s targeted bonus amount for such year, (ii) if a
determination has not yet been made of the targeted bonus amount of
Executive’s Performance Bonus for the current fiscal year,
the targeted bonus amount for such year shall be deemed to be the
same targeted bonus amount as fixed for Executive for the previous
fiscal year and (iii) if the performance target(s) for Executive
for such year shall not have been fixed, the same performance
target(s) as are applied under such plan to Employer’s Chief
Executive Officer for such year shall apply with respect to
Executive. For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood and agreed
that, upon a termination of Executive’s employment without
cause, she shall be entitled to a payment on account of a
Performance Bonus in accordance with clause (2) of the first
sentence of this subsection if, but only if, and only to the extent
that, the performance target(s) for Executive set under
Employer’s Annual Management Incentive Bonus Plan in respect
of the fiscal year for which such payment is to be made have been
or are satisfied and such payment shall be made at the time the
Performance Bonus would otherwise be payable to Executive under
Employer’s Annual Management Incentive Bonus Plan had
Executive’s employment continued through such time. Payment
to Executive of the compensation provided by this subsection is
subject to execution by Executive of a general release in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit B.
6.02.
Compensation Upon Termination By
Reason of Death, Disability or For Cause . Subject to the provisions of subsections 6.03,
6.04 and 6.05, if Executive’s employment hereunder is
terminated (A) by reason of Executive’s death or Disability,
or (B) by Employer For Cause, or (C) in accordance with subsection
5.04 upon Executive reaching normal retirement age, Executive (or
her estate, heirs or distributes) shall be entitled to (1) any
amount of Base Salary and Performance Bonus theretofore earned but
not yet paid and (2) except in the case of a termination of
employment by Employer For Cause, a pro rata portion of the
Performance Bonus for Employer’s then current fiscal year
determined in the same manner as provided in clause (2) of the
first sentence and in the second sentence of subsection 6.01.
Payment to Executive of the compensation provided by this
subsection is subject to execution by Executive of a general
release in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.