Exhibit 10.25
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT, dated as of the
fourteenth day of February, 2006, between Morgans Hotel Group Co.,
a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and
Marc Gordon (the “ Executive ”) which shall
become effective upon the closing date (the “ Effective
Date ”) of the initial public offering of the shares of
common stock, par value $0.01 per share, (the “ Common
Stock ”) of the Company pursuant to the registration
statement on Form S-1 (Reg. No. 333-129277) (the “
IPO ”).
1.
Employment Period.
The Company
hereby agrees to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby
agrees to work in the employ of the Company, subject to the terms
and conditions of this Agreement, for the period commencing on the
Effective Date and ending on the fourth anniversary of the
Effective Date (the “ Employment Period ”).
Commencing on the fourth anniversary of the Effective Date and on
each anniversary thereafter, the Employment Period shall be
automatically extended for one year terms unless either the Company
or the Executive shall give the other party not less than 90
days prior written notice of
the intention to not extend this Agreement (a “
Non-Renewal Notice ”).
2.
Terms of Employment.
(a)
Position and
Duties .
(i)
During the
Employment Period, the Executive shall serve as Chief Investment
Officer and Executive Vice President of Capital Markets of the
Company with the appropriate authority, duties and responsibilities
attendant to such position and any other duties that may reasonably
be assigned by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or the
Company’s Board of Directors (the “ Board
”) consistent with his position as Chief Investment Officer
and Executive Vice President of Capital Markets.
(ii)
During the
Employment Period, and excluding any periods of vacation and sick
leave to which the Executive is entitled, the Executive agrees to
devote substantially all of the Executive’s business time,
attention and energies to the performance of the duties assigned to
the Executive hereunder, and to perform such duties faithfully,
diligently and to the best of the Executive’s abilities and
subject to such laws, rules, regulations and policies from time to
time applicable to the Company’s other executives.
Notwithstanding the above, Executive shall be entitled to attend to
personal and family affairs and investments, be involved in not for
profit, charitable and professional activities and serve on up to
two for profit boards, provided that the foregoing does not, in the
aggregate, materially interfere with Executive’s
responsibilities hereunder. The Board hereby approves
Executive’s service on the boards set forth in Exhibit A
hereto.
(b)
Compensation
.
(i)
Annual Base
Salary . During the Employment
Period, the Executive shall receive an annual base salary (“
Annual Base Salary ”) of at least $650,000, which
shall be subject to annual review and increase. No
increase in
Annual Base Salary shall limit or reduce any other right of or
obligation to the Executive under this Agreement. Annual Base
Salary shall not be reduced at any time (including after any such
increase) without the Executive’s written consent and the
term Annual Base Salary as utilized in this Agreement shall refer
to Annual Base Salary as so increased.
(ii)
Annual
Bonus . During the Employment
Period, the Executive shall be paid an annual cash bonus (“
Annual Bonus ”) with a target level of 100% of Annual
Base Salary and a maximum level of 120% of Annual Base Salary. The
applicable corporate and individual performance targets shall be
determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “
Compensation Committee ”), after consultation with the
Executive, within the first 90 days of each calendar year or
within 30 days after the IPO if later. The actual Annual Bonus
for each calendar year shall be determined in good faith by the
Compensation Committee based upon actual corporate and individual
performance for such year and shall be payable in accordance with
the procedures specified by the Compensation Committee; provided
that the Annual Bonus shall be paid no later than March 15 of
the following year. To the extent the Annual Bonus would exceed
100 percent of Annual Base Salary, the Compensation Committee
may in its discretion pay such excess in the form of fully vested
equity compensation awards under Section 2(b)(v) (which may be
subject to other conditions that the Compensation Committee may
determine).
(iii)
IPO Stock
Options . On the Effective Date, the
Executive shall be granted options under the Company’s 2006
Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan (the “ SIP ”) to
purchase $3,000,000 worth of shares of the Common Stock (using the
offering price shown on the cover of the Company’s IPO
Form S-1) at an exercise price equal to the offering price
shown on the cover of the Company’s IPO Form S-1 (the
“ IPO Stock Options ”). Such IPO Stock Options
shall be evidenced by, and subject to, the stock option agreement
attached hereto as Exhibit B.
(iv)
IPO
Units . On the Effective Date, the
Executive shall be granted $3,750,000 worth of LTIP Units in
Morgans Group LLC (for this purpose each unit shall be valued at
the offering price of a share of Common Stock shown on the cover of
the Company’s IPO Form S-1) in accordance with the
Company’s SIP (the “ IPO Units ”). Such
IPO Units shall be evidenced by, and subject to, the unit agreement
attached hereto as Exhibit C.
(v)
Subsequent
Annual Equity Grants . The Company may grant the
Executive at the end of each year equity awards under the
Company’s SIP, in an amount determined, and on terms and
conditions specified, by the Compensation Committee in its sole
discretion, which terms and conditions shall be no less
favorable
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than the terms
and conditions of equity awards granted to other senior executives
of the Company.
(c)
Benefits
.
(i)
Employee
Benefits . During the Employment
Period, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all
employee benefit and other plans, practices, policies and programs
and fringe benefits and perquisites on a basis no less favorable
than that provided to other executives of the Company. The
Executive shall be entitled to a car and driver, financial advisory
and tax preparation assistance and travel arrangements to the same
extent currently provided by NorthStar Capital Investment
Corp.
(ii)
Indemnification
. To the fullest
extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify the Executive
against any actual or threatened action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising
by reason of the Executive’s status as a current or former
director, officer, employee and/or agent of the Company. The
Executive shall be covered under any director and officer insurance
policy obtained by the Company, if any, and shall be entitled to
benefit from any officer indemnification arrangements adopted by
the Company, if any, to the same extent as other directors or
senior executive officers of the Company (including the right to
such coverage or benefit following the Executive’s employment
to the extent liability continues to exist). However, the Executive
agrees to repay any expenses paid or reimbursed by the Company if
it is ultimately determined that the Executive is not legally
entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
(iii)
Vacations
. The Executive
shall be eligible for up to five weeks of annual vacation to be
accrued in accordance with the Company’s policy for its other
executives.
3.
Termination of
Employment.
(a)
Death or
Disability . The Executive’s
employment shall terminate automatically upon the Executive’s
death during the Employment Period. If the Company determines in
good faith that the Disability of the Executive has occurred during
the Employment Period (pursuant to the definition of Disability set
forth below), it may give to the Executive written notice in
accordance with Section 10(b) of its intention to terminate
the Executive’s employment. In such event, the
Executive’s employment with the Company shall terminate
effective on the 30th day after receipt of such notice by the
Executive (the “ Disability Effective Date ”),
provided that, within the 30 days after such receipt, the
Executive shall not have returned to full-time performance of the
Executive’s duties. For purposes of this Agreement, “
Disability ” shall mean the inability of the Executive
to perform the Executive’s duties with the Company on a
full-time basis for 180 business days during any consecutive
twelve month period as a result of incapacity due to mental or
physical illness which is
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determined to be total and
permanent by a physician selected by the Company and acceptable to
the Executive or the Executive’s legal representative or by
the insurance company which insures the Company’s long-term
disability plan in which the Executive is eligible to
participate.
(b)
Cause . The Company may terminate
the Executive’s employment during the Employment Period with
or without Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “
Cause ” shall mean that the Executive:
(i)
willfully and
continually refuses to substantially perform the Executive’s
responsibilities under this Agreement, after demand for substantial
performance has been given by the Board that specifically
identifies how the Executive has refused to perform such
responsibilities;
(ii)
willfully engages
in misconduct (including violations of Sections 7(a), (b) or (c) of
this Agreement) which is materially and demonstrably injurious to
the Company; or
(iii)
is convicted of a
felony or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a
felony.
For purposes of this provision, no act or
omission on the part of the Executive shall be considered “
willful ” unless it is done or omitted in bad faith or
without reasonable belief that the act or omission was in the best
interests of the Company. Any act or omission based upon a
resolution duly adopted by the Board or advice of counsel for the
Company shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted
in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. The
cessation of employment of the Executive shall not be deemed to be
for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to the
Executive a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative
vote of not less than 75% of the entire membership of the Board
(excluding the Executive) at a meeting of the Board called and held
for such purpose (after reasonable notice is provided to the
Executive and the Executive is given an opportunity, together with
counsel, to be heard before the Board) finding that, in the good
faith opinion of the Board, the Executive is guilty of the conduct
described above, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board reasonably believes in
good faith that facts exist that may justify a termination for
Cause, the Board retains the right to (i) immediately
terminate the Executive’s employment (without any obligation
to pay or provide any benefits described in Section 4) and
(ii) call the Board meeting and comply with the other
requirements described in the preceding sentence within
30 days thereafter (the “ Determination Period
”); provided that promptly following the Determination
Period, the Executive shall be paid or provided the applicable
benefits described in Section 4. If the Company does not deliver to
the Executive a Notice of Termination within 90 days
after the Board has knowledge that an event constituting Cause has
occurred, the event will no longer constitute Cause.
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(c)
Good
Reason . The Executive’s
employment may be terminated by the Executive with or without Good
Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Good Reason
” shall mean in the absence of a written consent of the
Executive:
(i)
the assignment to
the Executive of duties materially inconsistent with the
Executive’s title, position, status, reporting
relationships,
authority, duties or responsibilities as contemplated by
Section 2(a)(i), or any other action by the Company which
results in a diminution in the Executive’s title, position,
status, reporting relationships, authority,
duties or responsibilities, other than insubstantial or inadvertent
actions not taken in bad faith which are remedied by the Company
promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the
Executive;
(ii)
any failure by
the Company to comply with any of the provisions of
Section 2(b) or 2(c), other than insubstantial or inadvertent
failures not in bad faith which are remedied by the Company
promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the
Executive;
(iii)
any purported
termination by the Company of the Executive’s employment
otherwise than as expressly permitted by this
Agreement;
(iv)
any failure by
the Company to comply with and satisfy
Section 8(c);
(v)
following a
Change in Control (as defined in the SIP), any requirement that the
Executive’s principal place of employment be at a location
more than 50 miles from New York, New York; or
(vi)
any material
failure by the Company to comply with any other material provision
of this Agreement (including the equity award
agreements).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, placing the
Executive on a paid leave for up to 30 days, pending
the determination of whether there is a basis to terminate the
Executive for Cause, shall not constitute a “Good
Reason” event; provided, further, that, if the Executive is
subsequently terminated for Cause, then the Executive shall repay
any amounts paid by the Company to the Executive during such paid
leave period. If the Executive does not deliver to the Company a
Notice of Termination (as defined below) within 90 days after
the Executive has knowledge that an event constituting Good Reason
has occurred, the event will no longer constitute Good
Reason.
(d)
Notice of
Termination . Any termination by the
Company or by the Executive shall be communicated by Notice of
Termination to the other party hereto given in accordance with
Section 10(b). For purposes of this Agreement, a “
Notice of Termination ” means a written notice which
(i) indicates the specific termination provision in this
Agreement relied upon, (ii) to the extent applicable, sets
forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment
under
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the provision so indicated
and (iii) if the Date of Termination (as defined below) is
other than the date of receipt of such notice, specifies the Date
of Termination. The failure by the Executive or the Company to set
forth in the Notice of Termination any fact or circumstance which
contributes to a showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive
any right of the Executive or the Company, respectively, hereunder
or preclude the Executive or the Company, respectively, from
asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing the
Executive’s or the Company’s rights
hereunder.
(e)
Date of
Termination . “ Date of
Termination ” means (i) if the Executive’s
employment is terminated by the Company other than for Disability,
the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination or any later date
specified therein within 30 days of such notice, (ii) if
the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive,
30 days after receipt of the Notice of Termination (provided,
that, the Company may accelerate the Date of Termination to an
earlier date by providing the Executive with notice of such action,
or, alternatively, the Company may place the Executive on paid
leave during such period) and (iii) if the Executive’s
employment is terminated by reason of death or Disability, the Date
of Termination shall be the date of death of the Executive or the
Disability Effective Date, as the case may be.
4.
Obligations of the Company upon
Termination.
(a)
Other Than for
Cause; For Good Reason. If, during the Employment
Period, the Company shall terminate the Executive’s
employment other than for Cause or Disability, or the Executive
shall terminate employment for Good Reason (or the Executive dies
after delivery of a valid Notice of Termination for Good Reason or
without Cause) (each, a “ Qualifying Termination
”), except as provided in Sections 2(c)(ii) and 6 of
this Agreement, the Company shall have no further obligations to
the Executive other than:
(i)
the Company shall
pay to the Executive in a lump sum in cash within 30 days
after the Date of Termination an amount equal to the sum of
(A) the amount equal to the Executive’s Annual Base
Salary through the Date of Termination to the extent theretofore
unpaid plus (B) a pro-rated bonus based upon the number
of days in the year of termination through the Date of Termination
relative to 365 and the greater of (i) the target Annual Bonus
in the year the Date of Termination occurs and (ii) the
average of the Annual Bonuses earned for the two years prior to the
year the Date of Termination occurs (the higher of (i) and (ii),
the “ Applicable Bonus Amount ”) plus
(C) 2.5 times the sum of the Annual
Base Salary plus the Applicable Bonus Amount;
(ii)
for 30
months following the Date of
Termination, the Company shall continue to provide medical and
dental and life insurance benefits to the Executive, his spouse and
his eligible dependents on the same basis and at the same cost as
such benefits are then currently provided to the Executive (the
“ Welfare Benefits ”); provided that such
benefits shall be secondary to any other coverage obtained by the
Executive; provided, however, that if the Company’s welfare
plans do not permit such
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coverage, the
Company will provide the Executive the Welfare Benefits with the
same after tax effect;
(iii)
if applicable,
the Executive shall be deemed to have an additional 30 months of
service credit under the Company’s retirement plans,
programs, practices and policies;
(iv)
all Company
equity awards (including, without limitation, the IPO Stock Options
and IPO Units) shall fully vest and all stock options and stock
appreciation rights shall remain exercisable for the lesser of
(x) 30 months after the Date of Termination or (y) the
remainder of their term; and
(v)
to the extent not
theretofore paid or provided, the Company shall timely pay or
provide to the Executive any other amounts or benefits required to
be paid or provided or which the Executive is eligible to receive
under any plan, program, policy or practice or other contract or
agreement of the Company and its affiliated companies through the
Date of Termination, including, but not limited to, any accrued but
unused vacation, any unreimbursed business expenses and the
percentage of target bonus payable to other senior executives of
the Company with respect to any unpaid bonus for any completed
fiscal year prior to the Date of Termination (such other amounts
and benefits shall be hereinafter referred to as the “
Other Benefits ”).
(b)
Death;
Disability . If, during the Employment
Period, the Executive’s employment shall terminate on account
of death (other than via death after delivery of a valid Notice of
Termination for Good Reason or without Cause) or Disability, except
as provided in Sections 2(c)(ii) and 6 of this Agreement, the
Company shall have no further obligations to the Executive other
than to provide the Executive (or his estate): (i) the
Annual Base Salary through the Date of Termination to the extent
theretofore unpaid, (ii) a pro-rated bonus as set forth in
Section 4(a)(i)(B), (iii) the Other Benefits and
(iv) all Company equity awards shall be treated as set forth
in Section 4(a)(iv).
(c)
For Cause;
Other than For Good Reason; End of Employment Period
. If, during the
Employment Period, the Company shall terminate the
Executive’s employment for Cause or the Executive terminates
his employment without Good Reason, except as provided in
Sections 2(c)(ii) and 6 of this Agreement, the Company shall
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